Illegal
by KitKat12323
Summary: It's 1925, the Prohibition Era. Sosuke Aizen is the most feared Mob Boss in Japan. He rules Las Noches with an iron fist. Not even the cops can stop him. Orihime Inoue goes undercover to try and find a way to bring him down. In a world of violence, prostitution, drugs, lies and secrets, will she be able to survive? AU. AH.
1. Chapter 1: Assignment

**Illegal**

**Summary: **It's 1925, the Prohibition Era. Sosuke Aizen is the most feared Mob Boss in Japan. He rules Las Noches with an iron fist. Not even the cops can stop him. Orihime Inoue goes undercover to try and find a way to bring him down. In a world of prostitution, bootlegging, drugs, lies and secrets, will she be able to survive?

**So, this is a slightly different fic from what I'm use to. It was inspired by a picture I saw. The facts will probably be half true, so don't kill me if I make up stuff. This will be a side project of mine...I hope no one has done anything like this. I will update slowly for this. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Orihime Inoue walked briskly through Karakura. Her heeled shoes clacked on the pavement. Unlike most young women in this time, the twenty-one year old had long hair that framed her face and went past her shoulders. She wore the fashionable cloche hat, her's in white, and a knee length, baby pink dress. On the collar of her dress were two turquoise flowered hairpins.

"I'm so late. I hope Yamamoto won't be too mad," she mumbled to herself. Orihime headed into a building marked: Police Station.

"Good morning, Orihime," Rukia Kuchiki called out. The dark haired woman had short black hair in a bob like style and large violet eyes. She wore the standard police uniform - a black, collared, button down jacket. A white, button down shirt underneath. Black pants and black shoes. Her gun holster was underneath the jacket, hidden from view.

"Morning, Rukia," she greeted. Rukia was one of the few female officers, because her brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, was one of the head officers, she was also on the force. She worked hard and had gained most of the other workers' respect. Orihime only worked at the police station as a secretary.

Orihime rushed into the main office of the head police chief, Genryusai Yamamoto. The police chief was an old man in his late 70s early 80s. He had no hair on his head, but had very long eyebrows and a long beard. Orihime often wondered if all his hair migrated to his eyebrows and beard. The man was scary; he had an authoritative air around him.

"I'm sorry I'm late, sir," she apologized and bowed. The old man only nodded behind his desk.

"Sit, Ms. Inoue," he ordered. Orihime plopped down in one of the uncomfortable chairs in his office. She fidgeted as the sound of his clock filled the room.

"Kurosaki is late," the man grumbled. Orihime was surprised. She thought the chief wanted to see her because she was caught eating on the job. She wondered what Ichigo Kurosaki had to do with any of this.

Ichigo Kurosaki had been her long time crush. He had orange hair and fierce brown eyes. Orihime thought he was very handsome. He could be a little hot headed, but his heart was always in the right place. Six months ago, he and Ruki had announced that they were engaged. Orihime felt her heart break into little pieces. She knew her love for him was unrequited, but it still hurt when she found out he was marrying a person she considered her friend. Slowly, but surely, her broken heart healed enough that she didn't break down when she saw them together.

"You're late, Kurosaki," Yamamoto said. Orihime snapped out of her daydream and smiled as Ichigo hastily sat down. He gave her a brief smile before turning his attention to the chief. Yamamoto looked at both of them and then cleared his throat.

"As you know, Sosuke Aizen is the the most notorious Mob Boss in Japan and he has a firm grip on Las Noches. He has been selling drugs, alcohol, and prostitution for a while. His biggest customers being over seas. Recently our intelligence found that he was to meet with a woman who had something he wanted. Of course we found her and apprehended her a few weeks ago. No one knows that she's no longer alive," he paused.

Orihime was fascinated by this story. She had read a few reports on Las Noches and their Mob. She shuddered at the thought of ever meeting the man who was responsible for many murders, disappearances and illegal dealings.

"Wait, what does this have to do with Inoue?" Ichigo asked. He narrowed his dark eyes at the old man. Ichigo, himself, worked on the assignment to find as much information on Aizen and his dealings. Orihime wondered the same thing. She had no work on the police force except filing reports and bringing people coffee.

"I was getting to that, Kurosaki. Now that the woman, Himeko Barabasa, is gone we have an advantage. None of Aizen's men or himself have seen the real Himeko. She uses disguises whenever she met them. Of course she did give hints on what she really looks like. Take a look at this picture." Yamamoto handed a the picture to Ichigo. Orihime leaned over the chair to take a look.

The woman in the picture was very pretty. She had large brown eyes framed with long locks of burnt orange hair. Her breast were large and she had a slim waist. She wore a bustier one piece and very high heels. She looked innocent enough, but her eyes held a secret.

Ichigo suddenly slammed his hands on the desk. "No fucking way! You will not send her in there!" he shouted. Orihime looked back and forth between the two men. The woman looked a lot like her, but she didn't understand why Ichigo had gotten so angry.

"K-Kurosaki-kun, please calm down," she whispered. Ichigo glanced at her and then glared back at the chief.

"The bastard wants you to go undercover as this Himeko. He wants to send you into danger! Why not have someone else do it?" He gritted his teeth.

Orihime's eyes widened at the thought. Why would he send her? She wasn't trained to go undercover. She would most likely blow her cover for them. Yamamoto looked at the orange haired man with a calm expression.

"Unfortunately, Rangiku Matsumoto is one another assignment with Gin Ichimaru. Ms. Inoue is the only one who looks anything like this woman. We want to bring Aizen down before he gains even more power. The package Himeko was going to deliver is some kind of box. Unfortunately we can't open it. We've tried everything to get the box open, but it is resistant. I believe that she is up to this job. She can infiltrate the Mob and get information that we can't," he stated.

"I-I don't know. I'm not trained for it, sir," she argued weakly. Orihime wanted to help anyway she could. If going undercover would put an end to Aizen's terror then she was willing. Only Ichigo would stand in the way.

Ichigo grabbed her arm and started to pull her out of the office. "She's right. She can't handle a job like this. Go find someone else to do it," he growled, before slamming the door closed. They got to the front and he let go of her arm. Rukia raised an eyebrow at him.

"You might lose your job," she pointed out. Ichigo just growled. Orihime didn't know what to do. She rubbed her arm and laughed nervously.

"I don't know what the old man is thinking! Sending Inoue out to face danger like that!" Rukia rolled her eyes as he continued to seethe.

"Orihime isn't a little girl, Ichigo. I think she can decide what she wants to do. She's more than capable to handle an assignment," Rukia said. The dark haired woman had no idea what kind of assignment Yamamoto wanted her to go on. Ichigo shook his head and stormed off to the break room.

"Maybe you should try to calm him down," Orihime offered. Rukia sighed and followed the man. She kept mumbling how stupid he was. Orihime smiled as she went behind the front desk. Ichigo was only trying to keep her safe. She sometimes got annoyed when he would tell her she wasn't up to do certain things. She wasn't breakable, but Ichigo never saw it differently.

-:-

Orihime stretched and yawned. She had filed all the reports in the proper order. Taking out her lunch bag she grinned at the thought of eating her ham and cheese sandwich with mustard, whip cream and hummus. She headed to the break room and paused when she heard murmuring.

"She isn't up for that kind of thing. She doesn't know the dangers that go on in a Mob. I mean, Inoue is so innocent," Ichigo said. Orihime frowned; she had thought that Rukia and him had left. They were talking about her.

There was a sigh. "Well now that I know what the assignment is, I have to agree with you. Making Orihime go on an assignment like that would ruin her. She's so fragile, especially after the death of her brother," Rukia mused.

Orihime tightened her hold on her lunch bag. She knew all her friends treated her like she was some china doll. She wasn't, though. Orihime tried to be more adventurous by dressing like all the other women. Rangiku had helped her change her wardrobe. Even though she was twenty-one, everyone still treated her like she was a little girl.

Orihime squared her shoulders and walked back to the front desk. She placed her lunch bag on the desk and headed to Yamamoto's office. She knocked once. There was a brief silence.

"Come in," he said. Orihime hesitated at opening the door. Once she did, there was no turning back. She breathed in and then out. Fingering the hairpins at her collar, she firmly took the handle and opened the door. If Yamamoto was surprised to see her, he did not show it on his face. Instead he nodded for her to sit down. She closed the door and sat down.

She looked him squarely in the eyes. "Sir, about that assignment..."

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**That's it. I promise the next chapters will be better. This is sort of an introduction. Hope you all enjoyed.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	2. Chapter 2: One Day

**Illegal**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and alerted the story. This is kind of new to me, but I hope I'll do a good job.**

**Someone mentioned that I should've used a certain picture for the story. I actually got my inspiration from the picture, but didn't want to get in trouble with the artist by posting it on the story. I just put a picture up, but I might change it. **

** fav .me/d42 u9 op (take out spaces)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Las Noches was a very strange town, to say the least. The buildings were all white and mainly square or rectangular in shape. The town had many people living in it, but passing by one would think it to be a ghost town. Most people did not go out at night; they sometimes went out in the morning, but mainly stayed in doors most of the time. Las Noches had the best cafes, restaurants, cinemas, dancing clubs, and shopping stores. Of course they were all owned by one man, Sosuke Aizen.

He was a man of power, a man to be feared. He had a soft smile and a nice face, but under those pleasant smiles and good looks, there laid a man of wickedness, sin, and evil. He cared little for those who worked for him, and cared even less for those who supplied him with his money. His ambition was to become the God of Japan. A very ambitious goal, but he seemed a bit closer to that goal day by day.

His domain was recognizable from miles and miles. It was his way of challenging the authorities to try and take him down. The main building had a dome like roof, and it was surrounded with several towers and small buildings. Much like every building in Las Noches, it was colored white. One of the small buildings near the main building was a pub. It was known for its music, dancing, and for those who paid a little extra, its alcohol.

Aizen made money by selling liquor to other pub owners as well as other illegal things, but selling alcohol was his largest profit. He made sure to never get caught. He would have the bottles delivered, but never left any evidence that it was his doing. It was hard for the cops to have solid proof against him. He paid off people to stay silent and to have others silenced; all of Las Noches's authorities were already corrupt. He had his special group called The Espada, who did most of the dirty work for him. Aizen was unstoppable.

-:-

"H-here's the money for last weeks delivery," a timid, pudgy man said. He was on his knees; he owned a small pub that received its alcohol from Aizen. Mr. Kino made a lot of money selling liquor in his speakeasy. Most of the money made was given to Aizen, though. His hands shook as he handed the money over to a dark skinned man.

The man was known as Kaname Tousen; he was Aizen's left hand man and blind. He wore dark sunglass and a dark black pinstripe suit. An orange scarf was wrapped around his neck and peeked through the collar of his suit. His dark brown hair was done in a multitude of braids. He was a strange man for he believed following Aizen would lead to justice.

He stood next to a white throne. It was a simple square chair with a high back and armrests. The throne was carved out of white marble. The light in the room casted a shadow on the man sitting in the chair. The rest of the room was bare except for the pillars that supported the ceiling. The shape of eleven people leaning against the different pillars could be seen. Shadows covered their faces; a very unnerving sight.

Tousen counted the stack of bills. He handed the money to Aizen. There was the sound of paper being crinkled and shuffled. Then, the sound of a sigh.

"Where's the rest, Mr. Kino?" Aizen asked in a smooth, timbered voice. The pudgy man began to sweat. He rubbed his hands on his pants nervously.

"The rest? I-I only owe ten thousand, sir," he squeaked. Aizen shifted and stood up. He walked out of the shadows and stood in front of the trembling man. His brown hair was slicked back except for a strand hanging in the front of his face. His brown eyes were slanted slightly; they were hard and menacing, but he had a small smile on his face. He wore a white suit, the coat buttoned all the way, with a dark purple button down shirt underneath, the first two buttons undone. His pure gold cufflinks glinted in the light.

"You have racked up quite a debt, Mr. Kino. Szayelaporro, how much does he owe?" His questioned directed to one of the people in the room. A slender man stepped forward from the shadows. He had shoulder length pink hair and amber eyes; he pushed up his white glasses. He wore white gloves with a ridiculous pink suit, a little lighter than his hair, and a white shirt.

"Well, considering he hasn't paid the current debt, and the fact that you gave him an extension not long ago, he owes about another ten thousand," he said, while glancing at a small black book. He gave Mr. Kino a sly smile before stepping back.

The man's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "I-I had n-no idea, Aizen-sama. I swear, I-I'll pay back the rest in two days!"

Aizen's smile dropped. His expression serious and thoughtful. He drummed his fingers on his chin and looked at the man. Something flashed in those brown eyes, but no one noticed.

"Since you asked, Mr. Kino, we'll extend your due date, again. Make sure you have the money within two days," he said. The man relaxed slightly and started to stand.

Aizen snapped his fingers. "Yammy, why don't you make sure our guest doesn't forget his promise," he ordered, calmly. Mr. Kino gasped and started to shake. He glanced around nervously until his eyes landed on a large man that had stepped into the light.

"P-please, sir. I-" He was cut off when he was roughly lifted off his feet. Yammy was the largest member of Aizen's group. He had tan skin with a powerful build of muscles. His eyes were brown and hair black. He wore black slacks and just a white button down shirt that was untucked and most of the buttons were open to reveal his chest. He had the man by the scruff of his shirt.

He gave the pub owner a large, sinister smile. Yammy started to drag the man out of the room. All the while the man begged and pleaded to the brown haired leader. Aizen walked back to his throne and sat down. He leaned forward and gave the man a pitying smile.

"Yammy, wait." The large man stopped with a grunt. Mr. Kino had a sliver of hope in his eyes. Aizen looked at him with calculating eyes.

"Don't make a mess this time," he, finally, said. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the two. Mr. Kino's eyes dulled; the last of his hope gone. Yammy stalked out of the room and slammed the door shut. Aizen leaned back into his chair, consumed by shadows once more. Everyone in the room ignored the blood curdling screams that came from the other side of the closed door.

"Who else is on the agenda, Tousen?" he asked, languidly.

* * *

Orihime's head swam at the information she was given on the Himeko woman. Yoruichi Shihoin and Soifon, commander and second in command of interrogations, were briefing the orange haired woman on everything she had to know. They were trying to teach her everything she needed to know before she went on her mission.

Yoruichi was a slender woman with dark skin. Her eyes were golden in color and her purple hair was kept in a ponytail. Soifon was a petite sized woman. She had gray eyes and short black hair that had two braids wrapped in white ribbons. Both women wore backless, black shirts with no sleeves. They both wore slightly form fitting pants and imported chinese slippers. Yoruichi wore an orange sweater over her outfit and Soifon wore a yellow sash around her waist. Orihime thought the look was quite scandalous, but the two women didn't seem to care who saw them.

"So, her real name isn't Himeko, but she didn't say what it was. She has a brother, but his age is unknown and he's deceased. Her parents are dead, and she worked as a spy for hire," Orihime recited what she remembered.

"Don't forget she wore disguises everywhere she went. The item she was going to give Aizen is unknown," Yoruichi reminded.

Soifon snorted. "More like she wouldn't tell us anything about. All she said was that it was her way to prove that she was good enough to join Aizen's group."

Orihime glanced at the picture of the woman on the table. She was very pretty, prettier than her, she had thought. There was something sad and guarded about her eyes, though. The picture was one of the photos she had thought of giving Aizen. It was a way to show him that they "trusted" each other. A woman who never showed her true face would be risking a lot to show one person her true face. Of course she hadn't given him that picture; she decided on a more modest one, much to the relief of Orihime.

"She carries a gun strapped to her right thigh. From what we got from her, she has never killed anyone. She has the gun to feel more protected. A little paranoid, if you ask me." Soifon continued.

Orihime chewed on her lip. "Um, Mr. Yamamoto said that she was no longer alive. H-how did she, uh, pass?" The question had been nagging her since she took the assignment.

She had to lie to Rukia and Ichigo of where she was going. She told them she was going to take a few days off; instead she was in the interrogation office of the police station. She only had one more day before the meeting that Himeko had set up. Yoruichi and Soifon both gave each other a look. They didn't know whether they should tell her or not.

"Well, she wasn't killed by our officers," Yoruichi said, hesitantly. Orihime nodded and waited for her to go on. Soifon sighed and shook her head.

"She killed herself. After we decided to take a break from the interrogation, we left her in the room alone. We had confiscated her gun before hand, so we thought she was unarmed. Apparently the woman carried around a suicide pill in her shirt for emergencies. When we came back, we found her dead with her head on the table and foaming at the mouth. We couldn't do anything because the poison was quick and killed her immediately," Soifon explained.

Orihime covered her mouth in shock. She couldn't imagine someone killing themselves like that. It was a cruel way to end a life. It was also a desperate way to die. Himeko Barabasa must've been scared in order to do something so drastic, she concluded. From what Orihime got, the woman was full of secrets, but seemed to cherish her life. She desperately wanted to join Aizen's group and whatever was in the box had taken a lot of time to get.

"Let's not dwell on that. So, Orihime, do you know how to use a gun?" Yoruichi asked, already knowing the answer.

"Ah, no. I-I rather not use one," Orihime answered while waving her hands in front of her. Before Yoruichi could say anything else, there was a knock on the door; all three women became quiet. Soifon went over to open the door. She only opened it a crack, enough for her to see the person.

"Soifon, my dear~" Kisuke Urahara smiled widely at her. Soifon glared at him before shutting the door in his face.

"Uh, was that Urahara-san?" Orihime glanced questioningly at Yoruichi, who just shrugged. Another knock was heard. Soifon's eye twitched as she begrudgingly opened the door. She glared at the blond man and crossed her arms.

"That wasn't very nice," he commented, cheerily. The man came in and closed the door behind him.

Kisuke dressed very strange. He wore a black coat with white diamonds on the bottom. A dark green shirt and pants underneath; his shoes were traditional Japanese sandals. He usually wore a white and green, striped, bucket hat. Orihime recalled that Ichigo called him "Mr. Hat-and-Clogs" whenever they met.

"What do you want, Kisuke?" Soifon hissed. She wasn't too fond of the man, mainly because he always took Yoruichi away from her.

"Now, now, no need to be hostile. Yamamoto told me about the mission Ms. Inoue has decided to take, and I thought I could help." He waved past Soifon and smiled at the orange haired woman.

"What can a candy shop owner know that we don't," Soifon scoffed. He gave a secretive smile to Orihime and winked.

"Don't forget that I'm a handsome candy shop owner," he teased. Soifon looked ready to punch him, but he just turned back to Orihime. He pulled a fan out of his inner coat and started to fan himself while sitting in one of the chairs.

"So, what have we been doing so far?" He inquired, seriously. Yoruichi sighed and pulled a chair out to sit down.

"We've briefed her on Himeko. We were going to discuss the use of a gun, but I'm not sure if she can handle one," Yoruichi explained. Orihime looked at them nervously while twisting her fingers into the materials of her skirt.

Kisuke had looked at her thoughtfully. "I think you need to learn how to use a gun, Ms. Inoue. Aizen's men aren't all honorable and a Mob isn't safe at all, especially for a woman like yourself. You'll need protection since we can't be there for you, for now. You don't need to use it; it's for precautionary measures,"

"I just don't want to, um, kill anyone with it," she murmured. Kisuke laughed lightly and gave her reassuring smile.

"I'm sure you won't even need to use it. Now, we need to go over how she should act. Do you know how to seduce a man, Ms. Inoue?"

* * *

**Well that's all I'm going to do. I think I'll go to the meeting next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	3. Chapter 3: The Notebook

**Illegal**

**The Fujoshi: **1925 is close to the end of the Taishō period. The Prohibition era took place from 1920 to 1933. The setting is somewhat in Japan, but everything is American history. As for the Espada, well they're part of Aizen's group. I know their names aren't very Japanese and would be weird in this time period, but I'm just going to pretend that it fits in with the time.

**Welcome to the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

When Orihime walked into the dancing club, the music and the sounds of people dancing seemed to pull her in. The jazz band played a fast paced tune while men and women danced wildly around. The men swung their partners around; both dancers doing fast leg movements and moving their arms around. The men twirled the women around quickly, pulled them out and twisted together. Both partners split up and started to step and twist in sync. The women would shake their skirts as they executed fast footwork.

The Lindy Hop was one of the most popular dances. It was fast paced, had lot of jumping and swinging, and was generally fun to do. Orihime once tried it, but she ended up tripping all over her partner's feet. The dance moves were too fast for her to keep up. She watched in wonder as the people danced without missing a beat. The women had flushed faces and smiled brightly.

Orihime glanced around the club. Yoruichi had told her that Himeko had met a man with dark skin and sunglasses on named Kaname Tosen. He was apparently one of Aizen's workers that she met up to just give him her information. They never spoke one word at the brief exchange, so the man didn't know what her voice sounded like. She clutched her large bag a little tighter at the thought of coming face to face with Aizen.

"_He must be incredibly large and scary. Maybe he'll have a scar on his face and have multiple rings on his fingers," _she thought. A flash of orange caught her eye in the far corner. A dark skinned man with sunglasses on stood in front of a table. He didn't seem to be looking at anyone in particular. Orihime slowly crossed the room, hoping that this was the man Himeko had met last time. Somehow the man heard her approach, even though the music buzzed throughout the room, and turned in her general direction.

"Himeko Barabasa?" he asked in a calm voice.

"K-Kaname Tosen," she said, trying to keep her voice level. The man held out his hand. Orihime quickly reached in her bag and placed a silver pendant, that had the number five etched on the surface, in his palm. Tosen had given it to Himeko before they parted, as proof that she was the real thing. Yoruichi and Soifon had confiscated it from the woman during the interrogation.

He nodded and gestured for her to sit down at the table. Orihime cautiously sat in the only chair available. As she sat, she could make out a man leaning in his chair across from her. Tosen retook his stance from earlier.

"Ms. Barabasa, it's a delight to finally meet you." Orihime was surprised at how smooth and low his voice sounded. The man leaned forward, into the light, and gave her a welcoming smile.

"I-it's a pleasure to meet you." Orihime's eyes widened, slightly, in shock. She hadn't expected him to be handsome. She assumed that a man who committed so many crimes and had people quaking under him must look somewhat scary.

"The picture you sent doesn't begin to show how lovely you are," he complimented. Orihime flushed a little. Clearing her throat she set her bag on the table.

"Um, I assume you want the..." she trailed off. She gave him a knowing look, or what she hoped looked knowing and not confused. Aizen smiled at her and sat back a little.

"You get right to the point, very nice. I'm still surprised that you managed to steal it. That was quite a feat, especially since you didn't get caught." He sounded amused. His dark eyes studied her as he talked. Orihime felt like he could see right into her soul. She swallowed the lump that had started to form before reaching in her bag and pulling out the box.

Aizen's eyes were, now, trained on the box once it came out. The box was a simple rectangular, metal box with a small keyhole. Apparently it was made of special metal because Yamamoto's men couldn't open it. They could've blown it up with dynamite, but the chief wanted to keep whatever was inside intact.

"I see you really did keep up your side of the bargain. I'm a man of my words, Ms. Barabasa, welcome to my group: The Espada." Orihime nodded mutely and handed him the box. She flinched slightly when her hand brushed against his cold one.

Aizen produced a small key from his pocket and,staring intently at the box, opened it. He seemed to forget that Orihime was watching him. He lifted out a small bluish-purple orb. Orihime stifled a gasp, not that one could hear over the music, at the sight of the object; The Hogyoku.

The Hogyoku was one of Japan's most treasured jewels. It was said to hold special properties, but no one could prove it. It was displayed in a security, bullet proof case. There were always guards in the room everyday, all day. Rukia had once commented how it cost more than the crown jewels in England. A few months ago, the newspapers had blasted the headlines that it had been stolen. There had been a reward for anyone that had information on its whereabouts.

"Beautiful," Aizen commented, not really talking to anyone in particular. He carefully, almost lovingly, put the jewel back in the case. Orihime now understood why the box was unbreakable. Aizen turned his gaze back to the women across from him.

"I had Tosen get your things from the apartment you were staying at," he informed. Orihime wondered how he even knew where Himeko lived, let alone got into her apartment.

"That's very kind of you, sir." Aizen nodded and stood up. Tosen appeared behind him and helped him with his coat. How a blind man knew what was happening was a mystery to everyone who met him. Orihime quickly got out of her seat. Aizen held out his arm, like a gentleman, for her to hold. He gave her a faint smirk as she slowly wrapped her arm around his.

As they made their way out, the people turned to watch them. Aizen carried himself with dignity and a proud air. Orihime glanced around nervously as women started to whisper. When they finally made it out, a sleek, black automobile waited for them. Tosen quickly opened the back door for the two. Orihime stared in wonder at the expensive car. Not many people could afford a car like this.

Aizen, seeing the surprised expression on her face, said, "You shall get use to this life, Ms. Barabasa. All my Espadas live in luxury as long as they work for me."

"T-that's nice," she said, uncertainly. There was a subtle threat in his comment that made her stomach twist.

* * *

Orihime looked around the halls they passed. Aizen walked in front of her while she followed. The domain was rather large and every hallway looked the same. Everything, from the floor to the ceiling, was white. The man stopped abruptly. Orihime nearly ran into him, but managed to stop.

"It seems that not all the members have returned from their trips. You shall meet the rest of them later, but for now you can meet the ones who are here," he said. Taking her by the elbow, he lead her into a large room. It was empty except for the long table in the middle with fourteen chairs; a single chair at the head.

"My friends, I would like you all to meet a new member, Himeko Barabasa." His voice was low, but everyone in the room, even the man sleeping, turned their attention to him. He lead her down the table to the front, since most of the seats toward the end were empty.

"Coyote Starrk was the first man I recruited," he informed while gesturing to a sleepy looking man. Said man opened one blue-gray eye in Orihime's direction before closing it, again. His hair fell in dark brown, waves to the base of his neck. A slight goatee could be seen on his chin. He wore a white jacket outlined in black. His collar was upturned and he wore a simple white shirt and black pants. Both hands were encased in white gloves.

"Nice to meet you, Starrk-san," she greeted, trying to sound pleasant. The man grunted in response. He seemed to be sleeping, again.

"Tier Harribel and her partner, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck," he continued. Orihime was surprised to see two women in Aizen's group. One had short blond hair with sea green eyes. The other had an assortment of green ribbons tied in each strand of hair, making it hard for her to see what the woman's real hair color was.

The blond woman, Harribel, stared at Orihime with narrowed eyes. Her expression was somber. Her arms were crossed over her ample chest. She wore a white shirt that couldn't seem to keep everything in. A black, silver pinstripe suit jacket was over the shirt. From what she could see, the woman wore matching pants. It was rare to see women dress in men's clothes, although her clothes seemed to altered to be more feminine.

The women next to Harribel smiled brightly at her. Her large hazel eyes held a childish quality to them. She had a large red scar going across the bridge of her nose. Her hair hair fell in loose waves, green in color because of all the ribbons. She wore a form fitting, silky, green dress. It had thin straps and fit her body like a glove.

"Tier and Nelliel will be your companions while you're here, Ms. Barabasa. Ulquiorra is to be your escort when you go out, but you'll meet him later," Aizen said, snapping Orihime out of her thoughts.

"An escort?" Yamamoto had not told her that she would have a guard while being in Aizen's group. How was she to meet Yoruichi or Soifon to pass on information if someone was supposed to be with her?

"You are new, Ms. Barabasa. It would be a shame if something were to happen to you," he told her, giving her a condescending smile. "Once I believe that you won't get hurt, you may go where you want without an escort. Nelliel will show you to your room." That was her cue to be dismissed. His interest in her seemed to have faded once she gave him what he wanted.

The green haired woman stood up and took Orihime's hand. Before the orange head could say another word, she was whisked out of the room. Nelliel had a firm grip on Orihime as she lead her down the numerous halls.

"Welcome to Las Noches. You can call me Nel. I hope we can be friends!" she exclaimed in a somewhat childish voice. Orihime blinked as Nel looked at her hopefully while walking.

"N-nice to meet you. I'm O-uh Himeko," she said. Nel smiled at her and stopped in front of a white door.

"Can I call you Hime?" she inquired. Orihime nodded; it was funny since some of her friends called her Hime as well. Nel let go of Orihime's hand and opened the door. The room had a four poster bed with white sheets. There was a single window in the room; it was high up, which made the room feel more like a prison cell than a bedroom. A wardrobe and a desk made up the rest of the plain room. There was an old truck at the foot of the bed that didn't look like it was originally part of the furniture.

"This will be your room. It's right across from mine, so you can visit me whenever. We'll have to go shopping to make this room look less drab, but I hope you like it. You even get your own bathroom," Nel said, cheerily.

"It's very nice," Orihime offered. Nel nodded in agreement. Orihime tried to image adding some color to the colorless room. It would be more homely once it was decorated.

"It'll be more fun to have another woman here. Tier is my best friend, but she doesn't like to shop and she spends most of her time with Starrk. We'll have a lot of fun, and-"

"Nel, why not leave Barabasa alone. She'll want to unpack in peace," a new voice said. Harribel stood a little down the hall. Her arms were crossed as she stared at the two women with disinterest.

"You're no fun, Tier." Nel stuck her tongue out at the blond. Tier just raised an eyebrow at her before turning around and leaving. Nel sighed and gave Orihime a quick hug before running after her friend. Even though the green haired woman was wearing a long, tight dress she moved gracefully.

Orihime walked into her room and closed the door. She leaned against the white wood and let out a shaky sigh. The weight of what was happening was finally setting in. The situation she was in was hazardous; one wrong move and she would be dead.

She slid down to the cold floor and pressed her face into her lap. Even though Yoruichi and Soifon had prepared her, she felt like something was bound to go wrong. How long could she pretend to be someone else under the watchful eye of the most dangerous man in Japan?

-:-

Orihime had started to unpack some of Himeko's things. The old trunk was owned by the young woman. She found an assortment of dresses, shirts, and skirts. Himeko had packed a lot of things in the old trunk. Orihime felt some relief that she wouldn't have to pick her own clothes; she had no idea what Himeko usually wore. At the moment, she was trying to get a light blue dress out of the trunk, but it was stuck.

"Come on, don't give me a hard time, Mr. dress," she mumbled. She tugged, but the hem was caught in something. Huffing she pushed the other clothes aside. The dress seemed to be caught in the back of the trunk. Orihime scrunched up her nose as she saw the material disappear into the trunk itself.

"How strange. Is this some sort of magic trunk?" She traced her finger around the back of the trunk and felt a slight seam. Digging her nails into the leather trunk, she found that part of the trunk could come out. A large portion of it came out, much like a secret compartment. She peered into the hole curiously.

Reaching inside the hollow area, her fingers brushed against something square. Pulling the object out, she examined it. It looked like a notebook; it was a simple, black, leather bound notebook. Forgetting about the dress she opened the notebook. Her eyes widened in horror; the book tumbled out of her grasp and fell back into the trunk.

Scrawled in neat cursive on the front page were the words: _Orihime Inoue._

* * *

**Sorry about being so late. Anyways, Himeko will have more of a part in plot of this story even though she isn't alive. Hmm, I'm not sure how Tier Harribel's name is really spelled. I've seen it as Tier Halibel, so I'm not sure which is right. Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	4. Chapter 4: Himeko's Notebook 1

**Illegal**

**splitheart1120: **Actually, the notebook belongs to Himeko. She just has Orihime's name written in it for a reason you'll find out later on ;)

**The Fujoshi: **Haha, I don't think it'll get very 'weird' as the story goes on. There are a lot of twists in the story that I have planned. As for the UlquiHime, there will be moments, but they'll be later on. Plus, Ulquiorra will be Orihime's protector for a while, so they'll have time to get to know each other.

**shinsou69: **Thanks for the clarification. Although, I'm going to keep it the way I have it since I'm too lazy to change it. I think it was spelled Harribel in the manga...I think...

**ulquihime7980: **Actually, Himeko and Orihime are around the same age. They're not related in any way. Orihime has never heard or met Himeko until the assignment.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

_Himeko's Notebook_

_May 1921_

_No, I will not start with 'dear diary' because it sounds silly and childish. I'm twenty now, so I should be treated as an adult. Brother does not treat me like a woman, though. He gave me this silly notebook to write all my thoughts for my birthday. I love my brother, so I will use this. _

_I love Brother, Hiro, not like a sister, but as a woman. Unfortunately, he only sees me as his "little princess." If mother and father knew, they would disown me. Although, they're too busy going out to shows, dancing at pubs, and drinking with friends to notice anything that we do._

_Hiro is dating some shallow, dimwit, girl. She giggles too much, and she's always hanging on him. He may be four years older than me, but I am not too young to be with him, am I? No, I'm mature and smart. She has nothing on me._

_Hiro has been working a lot at the bar. Since everything has boomed, there are lots of jobs and new inventions. Mother bought a Model T this past week. Of course she forgot to buy food for us. Hiro does all the shopping now. I cook and clean, like some ridiculous housewife. I want adventure, danger, and intrigue in my life. I'll never get there if I spend my life at home._

_September 1921_

_I hate them! I hate them for everything they do! They never cared about us. Father always goes out drinking. Hiro has to go to pick him up all the time. Mother goes shopping and uses up most of the money. If it weren't for Hiro's job, we would starve to death! _

_Hiro and I left. He managed to get an apartment for us. Mother and father hadn't even noticed, or cared, that we left. Living in an apartment for a whole two months, so far, isn't as bad. The apartment has one bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen/dining room. I sleep in the bed and he sleeps on the couch._

_I'm looking for a job, but I don't want to be a secretary or a waitress. I want an exciting job, but so far I haven't had any luck. Maybe I could try acting; all my friends say I'm good at pretending to be someone else, and I love dressing up._

_December 1921_

_I've finally managed to get a job! Hiro wouldn't approve if he knew what it was, so I told him I landed a small acting role. I'm actually a-_

"Hime, are you done unpacking?" Nel asked from behind the door, breaking the woman from her reading. Orihime realized that she had been sitting on the floor for an hour reading the notebook. She quickly stuffed it back in its hidden compartment and closed the trunk. She slowly got to her feet, her legs sore from squatting, and opened the door.

"I want to show you around some more," Nel said, excitement evident in her voice. Orihime couldn't believe that such a lively woman could be part of Aizen's gang. She had expected to meet hardened criminals who looked strange. Some of the people did look strange, but they didn't seem very dangerous.

"Oh, I would love a tour," the orange haired woman answered. This was the truth since Orihime was curious to see what the massive building held. Also, she wanted to avoid getting lost when she didn't have Nel around to help her.

Nel grasped her arm. "Well, follow me. I'll show you all the nooks and crannies the building has. It's actually very large and you can get lost. Nnoitra got lost once, and I had to find him." She giggled.

"Nnoitra?" Orihime didn't remember meeting anyone by that name. She had only met four of Aizen's workers. She assumed that he was one of the people on an assignment.

"You'll meet Nnoitra at dinner. We usually don't have dinner together, but since you're new, Aizen calls for a fancy dinner. Everyone eats when they want to on normal days," she explained. Orihime nodded as they passed door after door.

A large sign that read _Keep Out_ caught her attention. Nel caught the woman's eyes lingering on the door as they passed.

Nel answered Orihime's unasked question. "That's Szayel's personal lab. He's the one responsible for making the liquor for Aizen. I think he likes to experiment on poor, defenseless animals because I always see a rabbit or dog come in, but they never come out."

Orihime shuddered at the thought of a helpless animal being cut up for the fun of it. Even though she hadn't met Szayel, she had a feeling she didn't really want to. Nel stopped at a large, double door. She opened the door and tugged Orihime in. The room turned out to be a large library. The walls were lined with books from floor to ceiling. A few sliding ladders were placed around for easier access to the books up high.

"This is my favorite part of the whole building. Aizen likes to collect a lot of books; I think he has one of the largest libraries in Las Noches," Nel mused. Orihime never thought Nel was the reading type. She, herself, liked reading books, especially the fantasy ones. She had always imagined meeting her knight in shining armor and he would sweep her off her feet.

Nel kept talking. "The shelves are categorized by genre. The historical section, bibliographies, sci-fi, and other stuff. My favorite is the fiction section." She gestured to the far right. Orihime smiled, a first since she got here, as she saw the many books.

"Wow, they're categorized in alphabetical order by author's last name too?" she inquired. On closer inspection, the books had all been organized and placed in their right place.

Chuckling, Nel said, "Ulquiorra does that. He doesn't like it when I return a book without putting it in the right place. He, once, spent the whole day organizing the library."

"What are you doing in here, Nel?" a male voice asked. Orihime squeaked in surprise and spun around. A man stood in the doorway of the library. She hadn't even heard the door open.

"Oh, Ulquiorra! You're back from your assignment!" the woman cried out in excitement. She ran toward the man - who Orihime couldn't make him out because the light from outside casted a shadow over his body - to hug him. He stepped back, so Nel missed him.

"Aww, no fair. Why won't you let me hug you?" Nel pouted. Ulquiorra ignored her, his attention was focused on the woman he had never seen. Orihime blinked as he stepped into the library light.

He was about a half head taller than she was. His skin was deathly pale; it almost looked like marble. He wore a dark navy, pinstripe suit with white shirt and a black tie. A green handkerchief peeked out from his coat suit's breast pocket. In his right hand was a homburg hat, the same color as his suit. His eyes, a stunning jade color, seemed to glow in the dim lighting of the library, but they seemed as hard as the stone. His mouth was in a frown.

His eyes evaluated her, calculating her. They seemed to stare at each other for a long time, until Nel interrupted the silence. "Ulquiorra, meet Himeko Barabasa. She's a new member to the group." Nel went over to Orihime and pulled the woman closer to him.

"P-pleasure to meet you," Orihime said, nervously. She dropped her gaze from his. He seemed to be scrutinizing her. Even when she wasn't looking at him, she could feel his gaze drilling holes into her head.

"You are the woman that Aizen-sama has asked me to escort," he simply stated. Orihime couldn't tell if he was peeved at the idea or just didn't care.

"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to. I can have-"

"If Aizen-sama wishes for me to escort you around, then let it be so. Just do not waste my time with frivolous activities," he said. Nel grumbled slightly, knowing the comment was directed more toward her than Orihime. Orihime opened her mouth to say something, but he abruptly turned around and left. When he disappeared from view, Orihime let out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding.

Nel shook her head. "I swear, that man has no emotions at all. He never smiles, and he's always serious. It could be the end of the world and he wouldn't show any emotion."

Orihime didn't reply. Nel showed her around more, but the woman was in her own thoughts. She nodded politely when Nel showed her new places. Orihime had never met anyone who looked so emotionless. His eyes were a stunning color, but they looked flat; dead. He had seemed to be assessing how valuable she would be to the group. Orihime shuddered at thought of him finding her useless. Would he tell Aizen that she wasn't worth keeping around?

"Nel, dinner is ready," Harribel called. Even though she was down the hall, her voice carried far enough for the two women to hear. She wore the same disinterested expression on her face.

Nel smiled at Orihime. "Come on, you'll meet everyone." Orihime tried to smile, but all she felt was dread. She would be in a room full of criminals, who might just figure her out.

-:-

They ate dinner in a room similar to the one where Orihime met Nel. There were a few empty seats. Aizen sat at the head with Tosen standing to his right. Nel put Orihime next to Harribel and sat in the next seat. An elderly looking man sat across from Starrk, who was on Tier other side. He didn't seem to care what was going on for he never looked up from staring at his plate.

"What the fuck, Nel! You're in my seat!" a loud voice screamed. The owner of the voice was a very tall and wiry man. He had long hair and an eyepatch over his left eye. He wore a white suit with the collar modified to be slightly higher than normal. His dark eye glared at Nel with intense hate.

"We have to make room for Hime, Nnoitra. She's going to sit next to Tier and I, so you can move down one seat," Nel said, evenly. Orihime chewed on her lower lip nervously as the man glared at her. He scoffed before slumping down in the seat next to Nel.

Orihime ate slowly while avoiding the looks of anyone else; she had found out that Ulquiorra sat right across from her. The dinner was very quiet, although Aizen made a few comments here or there which would receive a few grunt or nods. Finally, Aizen finished his meal. He dabbed his mouth and stood up.

"Have a nice night," he said with a small smile. His eyes swept over everyone before settling on Orihime. The woman swallowed the lump of steak.

His gaze held hers, even though she wanted to look away. "I hope you have a restful first night here, Ms. Barabasa." Orihime nodded mechanically. Aizen swept out of the room with Tosen on his heel.

Once the door closed, the people in the room seemed to relax. The older man, Barragan Aizen called him, got up and left the table without a word. A few of the other Espada left as well.

"I hate these fuckng fancy dinners," Nnoitra complained. A blue haired man across from him grunted in response. His electric blue eyes settled on the new member. He wore a white suit with black lining on the inside. A shirt matching his hair was unbuttoned to reveal a toned body. He had placed his feet on the table once Aizen left. His eyes roamed her body.

"New girl has a nice rack," he commented crudely. Orihime flushed and looked down at her half finished plate.

Nel tossed a handful peas at his face. "Don't be so rude, Grimmjow. Hime's new, so be nice to her." Grimmjow scowled at the green haired woman. Nnoitra leaned over Nel to smirk at Orihime.

"I can show the new girl how nice I can be," he sneered. Orihime shrunk back from him. Nel pushed Nnoitra's face back and glared.

"Aizen-sama does not want you to harm Barabasa," Harribel informed. The people who did express their emotions - Nel, Nnoitra, and Grimmjow - stared at her in disbelief. Starrk was half asleep, and Ulquiorra was still eating his meal.

"Why the hell does she get special treatment?!" both Nnoitra and Grimmjow exclaimed. The two males glared at each other.

Harribel sipped her wine before explaining, "She brought Aizen-sama The Hogyoku, which is quite hard to obtain as you are all aware. She has skills in spying, stealing, and disguising herself. Aizen finds these useful and does not wish any harm to come to her."

Orihime nearly choked on her water. Aizen expected her to carry on Himeko's old job. Yoruichi and Soifon had assured her that Aizen wouldn't expect much from her. How was she suppose to pull off doing whatever it was the real Himeko did?

"Who cares if she can spy; we have Aaroniero for disguising and spying," Grimmjow muttered.

Nnoitra's lip twitched in annoyance. "Who's going to protect the princess." He spat the word princess out like it was poison.

"Aizen-sama has given me the task of protecting the woman, for now," Ulquiorra answered. Nel had been silent throughout the exchange until now.

"Ulquiorra is one of Aizen's most loyal members. You don't have to worry about him, Hime," she reassured Orihime. The orange haired woman dared to peek at him and quickly looked away. He was blatantly staring at her with his stone eyes.

"Perfect," she mumbled to herself. Nel beamed, taking Orihime's words as one of gratefulness. Tier got up and nudged Starrk, who snorted as he was woken up. He slowly got up, yawning the whole time.

"Where are you going Tier?" Nel inquired. Tier glanced at her, but made no move to explain. Instead, she and Starrk walked out of the dining room. Orihime watched as the two disappeared through the doors.

"You know where they're going, Nel," Nnoitra said with a lewd grin. Orihime blinked, confusion clearly written on her face. Grimmjow grinned at her expression.

Nnoitra caught the look and his smile grew wider. "Well what ya know, she's an innocent!" He laughed loudly and spilled over his glass of wine. The red seeped into the once pristine, white table cloth. He seemed to be laughing as if he had heard the most hilarious joke in the world.

"Nnoitra, you just spilled your wine all over the place!" Nel cried in horror. Some of the red liquid had spilled off the table and onto her dress. The tall man didn't seem to care as he kept howling.

Nel stood up and sniffed daintily. "I'll have to clean up before the wine sets. Hime, would you like me to take you to your room?"

Orihime quickly stood up, not wanting to stay a moment longer. "Yes, that would be nice, Nel."

The two women left the dining hall. Nnoitra's laughter could still be heard as the door closed. Someone, most likely Grimmjow, yelled for him to shut up. There was the sound of a plate breaking and more shouting.

The door opened once more as Ulquiorra came out. Orihime could make out swearing and more plates being broken. Nel huffed in annoyance as the door closed again. Ulquiorra stopped in front of Orihime.

"Aizen-sama wishes for you to go out and buy any necessities. Be up at eight sharp or I will drag you out of bed," he ordered. The whole time his face stayed in its emotionless mask. Orihime nodded, fear evident in her eyes. He paused, as if wanting to say more, but turned and left.

Nel frowned slightly, wanting to make Orihime feel more at ease. "Ulquiorra won't actually do that, since his orders are to be your protector. He's the safest person to be with, Hime. He'll protect you from getting hurt by others."

"_Then, who's protecting me from getting hurt by him?" _Orihime thought sullenly.

* * *

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	5. Chapter 5: Orders

**Illegal**

**I just want everyone to know that this will be a slow romance. I like to build up some sort of bond between the characters, so the Ulquiorra and Orihime romance will be a slow burn. I apologize to those who want a faster pace romance, but I can't see that happening considering the situation the story takes place in. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Despite Nel's assurance that Ulquiorra wouldn't pull Orihime out of her bed, she got up early, took a quick bath and dressed. Orihime smoothed the wrinkles out of the pale green dress she had fished out of Himeko's trunk. The floor length mirror gave her a good view of her attire. Her dress stood out against the whiteness of the room.

Orihime sighed as she fastened her flowered hairpins on the collar of the dress. She brushed her hair over it so that flowers were covered. She had had a restless sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she would see the worried faces of her friends and the cold look from Aizen. The lack of sleep caused faint circles to appear under her eyes. Orihime was not vain, but she, like many woman, would rather not have dark circles under the eyes.

"Woman, are you up?" Ulquiorra's voice called from the other side of the door. Orihime quickly grabbed a light sweater and all but ran to open the door. The pale man stood with his hands in his gray pant pockets and an indifferent expression. He wore another suit; this one a solid gray color.

"Morning, Ulquiorra!" Orihime greeted. His eyes flickered over her appearance before turning his back to her and going down the hall. Orihime frowned at the lack of greeting, but followed without complaint.

The faint sound of heels clacking on the marble floor caught both their attention. Nel - dressed in a charcoal skirt that flared at the knees, a cream colored shirt with a few buttons undone, and simple black heels - came running after the two; her green hair done up in a purposely messy bun.

"I want to come too. I don't want to miss an opportunity to go shopping," she called. Ulquiorra didn't look too pleased as his eyes seemed to darken for a moment before turning back into their passive gaze.

"Good morning, Nel." Orihime smiled at her. In truth, she was happy to have Nel with her. She could help her shop for things for her room and Orihime wouldn't be alone with Ulquiorra.

"Morning, Hime. How did you sleep?" Nel inquired. The two women walked a little slower as they conversed. Ulquiorra, ignoring the two, headed for a black automobile parked outside.

"Fine," she lied. Ulquiorra held the car door open for the two. Nel slid in first. Orihime was surprised that someone working for Aizen still had manners. Ulquiorra shut the door and got into the passenger side.

"Where to, Mr. Cifer?" the driver asked. Before he could answer Nel piped up.

"I'd like to go to the Mr. Rui's furniture store." Turning to Orihime she said, "He has the best furniture in Las Noches. There are some cute chairs and tables! I really want to get a new vanity, since Nnoitra destroyed my last one."

The car started up and drove off. Orihime listened as Nel told her about all the different stores they could go to. Ulquiorra remained silent the whole ride. The car stopped in front of a large building. It was white on the outside, much like every building in Las Noches, with a gold colored sign above the door reading: _Rui's Furniture_.

Orihime found that the store was brightly colored on the inside. There were an assortment of tables and chairs. Some large and others small. The building had three floors to it. The first floor consisted of tables and different types of chairs. The second floor had bathroom furniture while the third floor had living room, kitchen, and bedroom furniture.

"Come on, we're going to the top," Nel said as she pulled the orange haired woman up the stairs. Ulquiorra followed at a slower pace. The store owner followed behind him at a much slower, more nervous pace. The other customers in the store, Orihime noticed, moved quickly out of their way. Mothers pulled their children to their sides, even grown men went in the opposite direction when they went down and aisle.

"Oh, do you like the dresser?" Nel asked. She pointed to a light yellow dresser. Orihime walked over to it. The color was warm, which was a good thing for her cold room. She looked at the price tag and gasped.

"$1000! That's a lot for a dresser!" she exclaimed. Nel giggled at her as if she had said something funny.

"Don't worry about the price, Hime," she said. Nel plucked the price tag off the dresser and pulled Orihime down another aisle.

"I've had my eye on this mahogany vanity for a while. Now that I need a new one, I can get it," Nel chatted. So, the two women went around the store looking at furniture. Any piece they liked, Nel would take the price tag off; by the end Nel had a handful of tags. Most of them being items she wanted, but Orihime had chosen a dresser, vanity, a desk lamp, a floor lamp and a rocking chair.

"Did you find everything you wanted, Ms. Odelschwanck?" asked the owner. He smiled nervously at the two women. Ulquiorra stood off to the side. Nel smiled and handed him the price tags. The owner quickly punched the numbers in the register.

"$1,689,563.79 will be your total. Is that all?" Orihime felt faint at the price. Nel didn't break a sweat as she shook her head. The man handed her a black book which Nel signed her name.

Handing back the book, the man nodded. "Everything will be delivered by this afternoon. Have a pleasant day."

"Bye." Nel waved as they left. Ulquiorra headed for the car, but Nel pulled Orihime in the opposite direction.

"Nel, where are you going? Aizen-sama's orders were to get Barabasa any necessities she needed," Ulquiorra said, his mouth set in a deep frown. He already had the passenger side door open.

"I'm hungry, Ulquiorra. I bet you're hungry too, since we left without eating breakfast," Nel protested. Ulquiorra was about to say something more, but the sound of a loud rumble stopped him. Both Espada turned to Orihime, who blushed.

"I-I guess I'm a little hungry too," she confessed, smiling sheepishly. Ulquiorra stared at her for a moment longer before closing the passenger door.

He walked over to the two women. "We will eat, and then go back," he ordered. Nel grinned at the man. He turned on his heel and headed off toward a cafe nearby.

-:-

"What would you like?" the waitress asked. Orihime contemplated the menu. She was very hungry and couldn't decide what to eat.

"I'll have a croissant and black coffee without sugar or cream," Ulquiorra decided. He handed the waitress is menu. The woman scribbled down the order before turning her attention to Nel and Orihime.

"I'd like the blueberry pancakes with lots of blueberries and hot chocolate," Nel said with a smile. Orihime pondered her choices for a moment longer before closing her menu.

She gave the waitress a warm smile. "I would like an omelet with mushrooms, chocolate chips, bacon and whip cream on top. Some hot chocolate with hot sauce in it too, please," she chirped. The waitress stared at her for a moment before scribbling down her order. Once the woman left, Nel gave Orihime a curious look.

"That's an interesting combination," she mused.

"It's very good. I find that the hot sauce gives the hot chocolate a slight tanginess that goes good with the sweetness," she replied, enthusiastically. Ulquiorra eyes bored into the side of her head. Orihime tried to ignore the look he was giving her.

"It doesn't sound appetizing let alone safe," he commented bluntly.

"Well, I haven't had any problems. I usually cook for myself all the time and I haven't gotten sick yet," Orihime replied cheerily.

Their breakfast came quickly. Orihime ate with gusto; Nel even tried a bit of hot sauce in her hot chocolate. Ulquiorra refused to try anything that Nel tried to shove in his face. Nel insisted on shopping for clothes because Orihime would need new ones. By the time the three went back, there were a few trucks outside. Men were carrying out their furniture and leaving them near the front.

A bulky man came up to them as they got out of the car. "Where do ya want the stuff?" Nel started to direct the men in the direction they should bring the items. Orihime followed behind her, carrying her own shopping bags. The driver had an armful of shopping bags for Nel; there were more in the car. Ulquiorra was directing one of the movers to bring all the things inside.

"That dresser belongs in Hime's room. Hmm, some of those need to go to my room too," Nel instructed. Just as they were passing by one of the many kitchens, the door flew open. Nnoitra glared at the men while clutching a half full whiskey bottle.

"What the fuck. Can't ya be quieter!" he bellowed. From the way he swayed unevenly on his feet, Orihime could tell that he had had one too many drinks.

"Nnoitra, it's only twelve in the afternoon! You can't be drinking all the time," Nel berated. The lanky man turned his one eye to the green haired woman. He sneered at her and took a swig out of the bottle.

"Pshh, shut it Nel! I-I don't need you to patro...patro...order me around! Come on, fight me!" he shouted. Some of the moving men looked at each other in concern. Nel shook her head and tried to walk past him, but he blocked her way.

"I will not fight you in this state, Nnoitra," she said firmly. He growled before pulling out a hunting knife and pressing it to her cheek. Nel stared at him unfazed.

He glared at her before cursing some more. "Fuck you! I hate how you always look down on me! Whata you lookin' at?!" he snarled, suddenly turning his gaze to Orihime. The orange haired woman's eyes widened in surprise. She had been standing away from the scene, hoping not to be noticed.

Nnoitra pushed past Nel and stalked over to Orihime. She tried to back up, but found herself pushed up against a wall. The blade of the knife glinted in the light. Orihime looked for an escape route, but there was nowhere for her to run.

"Nnoitra, leave her alone," Nel warned. He didn't listen as he came closer to Orihime. He held up the knife; his eye staring at her with hate.

"Scared, bitch? Why not carve that pretty face of yours?" he grinned and brought the knife close to her face. Orihime closed her eyes; Nel pushed past the workers to try and stop him. Nothing happened. Orihime popped one eye open. Ulquiorra had a firm hand wrapped around Nnoitra's wrist; his expression blank.

"What the fuck, trying to play the hero, Ulquiorra?!" Nnoitra spat.

Ulquiorra gave him a cold look. "My orders are to protect the woman from harm." Nnoitra snorted before trying to tug his wrist from the other man's grip. Ulquiorra had a firm hold on him and wouldn't let go.

"Get the fuck off!" he cried and raised the bottle of whiskey to Ulquiorra's head.

Orihime gasped as Ulquiorra seemed to move with lightning fast reflexes. He twisted Nnoitra's knife wielding arm painfully backwards so that he dropped the knife. He elbowed him hard in the sternum, making Nnoitra drop the bottle of whiskey. He had twisted his arm behind his back and had produced a gun from the inside of his jacket; the barrel resting against the taller man's skull.

"Trash like you do not deserve to live," he stated calmly. Orihime hands shook as she took in the scene. The movers had all frozen in place; none of them dared to move. Before he could pull the trigger, Nel rested a gentle, but firm, hand on the pale man's shoulder.

"He's drunk, Ulquiorra. He's not worth killing," she said. Her hazel eyes pleading him not to shoot. He stared at her for a moment before turning his gaze to Nnoitra. He let go of Nnoitra's arm and placed the gun back inside his jacket. Nnoitra stumbled to the ground, cutting his hand on the broken glass.

"Clean up your mess," he said to him. He turned his attention to the movers. "I want all this furniture out of the hall, now." The movers nodded hesitantly. Nnoitra cursed and spat as Nel tried to help him up. Orihime stood in shock; her whole body shaking. Ulquiorra turned on his heel and headed for the library.

Nel looked at Orihime with a small smile. "Why don't you put your things away?" Orihime nodded before walking quickly in the same direction Ulquiorra was going.

"Ulquiorra, wait please," Orihime called. The man stopped in his brisk walk. Orihime caught up to him. He turned to face her with the same emotionless expression on his face.

"I-I want to thank you for stopping Nnoitra from...well hurting me," she said with a sincere smile. He stared at her; Orihime couldn't tell what he was thinking.

His green eyes met hers and in his deep voice he said, "I'm only following Aizen-sama's orders. Do not think that I wish to protect you." He turned on his heel and stalked off down the hall. Orihime frowned as he disappeared around a corner.

"_What a strange man,_" she thought to herself.

* * *

**Well, I'm off to bed even though it's still 3 in the afternoon. Getting sick sucks, but I hope you like the chapter. An update may be late again.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	6. Chapter 6: A Discovery

**Illegal**

**Streaks of moonlight: **I hadn't actually planned on a NnoiNel story or any pairing for her. I guess I could add GrimmNel as a pairing for you ;)

**Sorry I haven't updated. My little cold turned into pneumonia, so I was sick for almost two weeks. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki stood outside Orihime's small apartment. The raven haired woman held a basket of sweets while the man rang the bell for the third time. The two exchange worried glances.

"Maybe she went out," Rukia suggested. Ichigo frowned; Orihime had said she was taking a break, but he hadn't seen her for a good two weeks. Karakura town wasn't that large; you usually met the same person at least twice in two days.

"Orihime?!" Ichigo banged on the door. No one answered. He kept banging, which caused quite a ruckus. A woman, a few doors down, poked her head out of her apartment.

"Would you stop that noise?! Ms. Inoue hasn't been home for the past two weeks, so leave us in peace!" she shouted before slamming her door closed. Ichigo paused and stared at Rukia who only gave a shrug. The two slowly made their way out to the sidewalk.

"Do you think she went on vacation outside of Karakura?" Rukia asked. They were heading back to the police station since there was nothing else to do.

Ichigo scratched his chin. "If Tatsuki were here, she would know where Inoue went. Anyways, she would've told us if she was going on a long trip." Tatsuki had traveled to America with her Aunt and wouldn't be back for another three months.

The two had just made it to the front of the police station when a man with a striped bucket hat walked out. Yoruichi was following him. The two were in a heated argument, well more like Yoruichi was arguing and Urahara was laughing. The man noticed the two first and smiled widely.

"Ah, Ichigo and Rukia! How are you?" he asked, still smiling. Rukia gave a polite bow while Ichigo stared at him.

Ichigo squinted at the man and pointed at him. "You're...who are you again?" Rukia's eye twitched in annoyance at how rude he was being.

"You can't have forgotten me after meeting me twice, Kurosaki. I'm the lowly-but-handsome business man of Urahara's Candy shop," he explained. Yoruichi shook her head, but made no comment.

"Oh yeah, you're Mr. Hat-and-Clogs," he mumbled more to himself. Rukia elbowed him in the side, hard. She gave a sweet smile to the blond man while Ichigo groaned and rubbed his aching ribs.

"It's nice to see you again, Urahara-san," she said. Urahara smiled his eyes going to the basket of sweets.

"Who are those for," he asked, innocently. Rukia glanced down at the sweets, which were rabbit shaped cookies she had made this morning.

"We were going to give them to Inoue-san, but she isn't home," Rukia explained.

"Oh, Ms. Inoue still hasn't come back from her mission?" Urahara questioned. Yoruichi's eyes widened as Ichigo shot a dark look at the man.

"Kisuke!" she hissed. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the woman. Rukia looked between the two.

The orange haired man clenched his fists. In a low voice he said, "What do you mean that Inoue went on a mission?"

"They weren't supposed to know? Oops, sorry." He didn't sound at all sorry, and hid his expression under his hat.

* * *

Orihime sighed as she got out of her bed. She had been in Las Noches for two weeks. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened during that time. She would wake up, have breakfast with Nel either outside or they would cook, they would go out with Ulquiorra following, come back and have dinner. Sometimes she didn't go out; instead, she spent her time wandering around the large building. She had made sure to stay away from Yammy, who had made a few lewd comments and leered at her. Nnoitra had left her alone; he tended to stalk in the shadows and drink whisky most days. Tier and Starrk were always off doing who knows what. Szayel stayed cooped up in his lab, except for meal times. A few members of Aizen's group seemed to have disappeared. Orihime didn't want to image what had happened to them.

The orange haired woman carefully tied her pink robe closed and quickly went out of her room. She walked the familiar pathway to the library. The first night she couldn't sleep, she had wandered around the building, keeping to the shadows, and had stumbled into the library when she saw Yammy.

From that night on, she went to the library if she couldn't sleep. She spent a few hours in the fiction section reading books under the light of the room with the door closed. No one ever went into the library at that time, so she was safe. She glanced over her shoulder before pushing the door open. Orihime closed the door quickly and turned to the fiction section of the library, but froze.

Ulquiorra, only wearing an undershirt and black slacks, was sitting at one of the many chairs in the room. A pile of large books was stacked on the table next to him while he was holding another large tome. He peered at her from over his book. His green eyes staring at her brown ones.

"What are you doing here," he demanded more than asked. Orihime swallowed the lump forming in her throat. For the past two weeks she had been coming to the library, no one else has shown up. Yet, here he was, reading a dusty looking book.

"Uh, well...you wear glasses, Ulquiorra?" she asked in surprise, forgetting his previous question. A pair of silver rimmed, square glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. They made him look very scholarly.

His mouth turned into a deeper frown. "They are for reading purposes only. Now, answer the question."

"Oh, well, I can't sleep, so I usually come to read a little," she explained. He gave her a long stare before turning his attention to the book. Orihime cautiously walked passed him and headed to the A section. Orihime decided to start reading books in alphabetical order; she had found some books that she had already read, but most of them were new to her. She had only managed to finish the first two books in the section. Pulling out the third book - a hunter green cover with gold edges - she sat in the chair under the window. She tucked her legs under her and opened the crisp cover. _A Merchant's Tale_ was written on the front page in loopy cursive. Flipping to the first page, she forgot all about the man sitting a few feet away from her.

Ulquiorra glanced up from his reading as silence filled the room once more. Orihime was engrossed in her book. He watched in slight fascination as her facial expression changed as she read. She looked amused, sad, angry, surprised, joyful, excited, and so many other emotions that Ulquiorra couldn't name.

Orihime felt his stare after a while and looked up from her book. She met his piercing gaze with wide eyes. "Um, is there something wrong Ulquiorra?"

"You are overly fascinated with such trash," he commented. Orihime puffed out her cheeks and gave him a stern look.

"This isn't trash. It's quite interesting," she defended. Ulquiorra's look seemed to be saying the exact opposite as he eyed the title.

"Fiction is trash. Why should we fill our minds with such silly stories that have nothing to do with life? What does one gain from reading nonsense?" he questioned.

Orihime put on a thoughtful look. She tapped her chin with her free hand. A smile spread across her face. "It's a good way to escape into a different world. Fiction is full of different universes, people and customs. They, also, teach lessons like telling the truth is better than keeping silent and other life lessons."

Ulquiorra stared at her with calculating eyes. Finally he returned to his book. Orihime stared for a bit. His book, which read _The World of Physics_, looked less than stimulating. Quietly placing her book on the table and getting up, she scanned the shelf for a certain book. She smiled when she caught sight of the title she had been looking for, _Dust and Tree_.

Hugging the book to her chest, she made her way to him. She stood a few feet away from where he sat. Ulquiorra looked up from his reading when she coughed. The woman thrust the book in front of him.

"You should read this. I know you don't think much about fiction, but I think this book could change your mind," she mumbled and smiled timidly. Ulquiorra was going to refuse, but his hand moved before his mind could fully formulate his plan to reject the book. He took the book from her and placed it on the table. Orihime gave him a stunning smile before skipping back to her seat. The pale man stared at the red, leather book. He kept wondering why he even took the book from her. Sighing quietly, he put a bookmark in his previous book and picked up the new one. He opened the front cover and started to read.

-:-

_There was once a man named Dusty. He lived in an impoverished town. His name came from the fact that he was always covered in sawdust from making wooden chairs. He, also, painted as a hobby. His hut was a small two room building. He was young, handsome, and kind. Unfortunately he was also very poor. No woman in the village wanted to marry him._

_One day he went into the forest to chop more wood for his craft. He came to a large cedar tree and was about to swing his axe when a voice called out._

"_Please don't cut my tree down, sir." The voice was a low but feminine voice. Dusty paused mid-swing and looked around for the source of the voice. He was the only one in the forest. He turned back and jumped at the sight of a young woman standing in front of his axe._

_She had dark brown hair and bright green eyes. She wore a simple green dress that looked like it was made of leaves; her feet were bare. She was very pretty with high cheekbones and wide, innocent eyes._

"_Please don't cut down my tree. I'll die if you do," she begged. Dusty stared at her in shock. He lowered his axe. The woman, he decided, was obviously delirious. Yet, he couldn't cut the tree down with the look she gave him._

"_I'll leave your tree alone," he said. He picked up his axe and headed deeper into the forest. The young woman followed behind him. He stopped at a tall pine tree. He picked his axe up and was about to swing when the woman cried out again._

"_Please don't cut down any more trees. I don't want my friends to die, either," she cried. Dusty stopped and sighed. He placed his axe on the ground and turned to her._

"_If I don't cut down trees, I won't make money. If I don't make money, I won't be able to buy food and I'll starve to death," he explained. The woman lowered her head and sniffed._

"_I don't want you to starve, but I don't want my friends to die. Please, don't cut down the trees. So many men have cut down my friends; I want to try and preserve some of them," she whispered. Dusty, after staring at her for a few moments, picked up his axe and turned back the way he had come from. He stopped in front of the woman and patted her head. _

"_I'll stop cutting down trees," he promised before going back to his village. The woman, unknowingly to Dusty, smiled brightly._

"_He's the one. I'll be gone for awhile," she said to the forest before following the man. The woman lived with Dusty as his wife, or so she declared. He finally accepted her as his wife a fter a few days. Dusty painted and sold his work. His wife, Cedar, weaved intricate baskets made of straw. for him to sell. The two lived happily. Dusty had never been as happy as he was with Cedar. _

_Many people questioned the woman's origins. Every time someone asked, she simply pointed into the forest. Dusty loved Cedar very much. Many of the men in the village were jealous of his lovely wife. She seemed to attract good luck. Soon, Dusty was able to make a larger hut for the two._

_The two had been happy for a few years, when a storm came. It was dark and the wind whipped at the windows. Thunder roared and lightning lit the sky. Cedar couldn't keep away from the window and stared fearfully out into the forest. Lightning flashed and struck a tree. Fire blazed brightly. Cedar cried out in alarm. _

"_Dear, what is wrong?!" Dusty asked, worried. His wife clutched her head and swayed before fainting. Dusty caught her and stared at her pale face. He tried waking her, but she didn't respond. He was about to go out to the medicine man, when Cedar grasped his arm._

"_My tree, take me to my tree," she croaked weakly. Dusty didn't protest. He wrapped her in a warm cloak and braved the winds and rain. He covered her frail body with his own. He made it to the forest and gasped at the fire blazing. Cedar shakily got to her feet and stumbled to her tree. The cedar tree hadn't caught fire, yet. The flames were getting closer. _

"_My sweet Dusty, I'm sorry. I never told you what I am. I'm a tree spirit. This cedar is my tree. My life is connected to this tree. With the fire, I will have to leave you. I love you very much; the first time I saw you when you were but a child was when I fell in love. I was too shy to talk to you. The day you came to cut my tree was when I gained enough courage to speak up. I don't want to leave you, yet, but I must. Return to your home," she said. _

_Tears streamed down her face as she leaned against the base of the tree. Dusty stared at her in shock. He turned to the fire and then ran back to village. Cedar smiled sadly; no man would stay after finding out his wife was nothing but a wood spirit._

_She closed her eyes and waited for the pain. The sound of sloshing water caught her attention. Her eyes flew open as she saw Dusty running toward her, carrying two buckets filled with water from the well. He ran past her and near the flames. He dumped the water onto the fire and ran back._

_Cedar watched as he kept running back and forth with buckets of water. She cried as she watched his efforts wasted in vain. Nothing could stop the flames; they wouldn't stop until they consumed the whole forest. _

"_Dear, stop. There is nothing you can do," Cedar begged. He ignored her cries. After a while, he started to slow down. His bones cried out in protest at each movement. Suddenly, he collapsed in front of her tree. The buckets of water spilling on the ground._

"_I will not leave you," he said. Using the last of his strength, he pulled himself next to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed a warm kiss on her nose. Cedar sobbed into his chest while telling him to leave her. Dusty whispered soothing words to her. _

"_I love you," she whispered. _

"_And I you," he said. The two closed their eyes and waited for their next step in their lives together. The forest was burned to ashes. The people of the village stared sadly at the destruction. No one noticed that Dusty's house was empty. Where the cedar had stood was now a pile of ashes. The wind blew away the ashes to reveal a young sprout. Many of the villagers said that it was a sign that life would return to the forest._

_Many years later, the forest regrew to its former splendor. People who wandered the forest said that they saw a young man and woman sitting under a cedar tree holding each other. _

_Fin_

-:-

Ulquiorra closed the book and took off his glasses. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to Orihime. The woman was leaning in the chair with the book over her chest. Her eyes were closed and a soft snore emitted from her half opened mouth. He looked at the clock on the far wall; it read one. He got up and picked up his books, plus the one Orihime had given him. He placed them all back in their rightful places.

He was about to leave the library, but paused. He turned back to the sleeping woman. Going over to the far corner, he opened a trunk and pulled out a thick, wool blanket. Walking over to her, he placed her book on the table and draped the blanket over her shoulders. Satisfied that Nel couldn't blame him if she caught a cold, he shut the lights off and left the library.

* * *

Orihime woke up feeling warm, but sore in the neck. Her eyes opened and she looked around the, now, brightly lit room. The sun was up and the birds were chirping. She looked at the blanket in confusion.

"How did..." she trailed off as she noticed Ulquiorra was missing. She concluded that he must've put the blanket on her before he left. She smiled softly at the kind gesture. She got up and folded the blanket. She placed it on the chair and the book on top, for later.

She tiptoed to the door and peeked out. There was no one in the halls. She made a quick dash down the hallway and made it to her room unnoticed. She did her daily routine of taking a quick bath, getting dressed and brushing her hair. She wore a knee length, yellow dress. It had elbow length sleeves and a pleated skirt. She placed her hairpins on the collar of the dress.

Leaving her room, she made her way to the kitchen. The kitchen was empty, much to her delight. Orihime wanted to make breakfast and had some ideas for a delicious omelet. She got to work finding the ingredients. After a thirty minutes, her omelet was almost done.

"I just need whip cream, and then it'll be finished," she mumbled to herself. Rifling through the refrigerator, she didn't notice the person entering the room. Ulquiorra yawned as he came in. He hadn't slept after leaving the library. He had been thinking about the story he had read. It was nothing but a ridiculous tale and he couldn't see why the woman enjoyed reading nonsense.

"Found you!" Orihime cried. She closed the fridge and turned to her omelet. Ulquiorra watched as she took the pan and placed the omelet on a plate. Then, she put the whip cream on it. A slight grimace passed his face when he saw her meal. Orihime turned to find a fork and smiled when she saw him.

"Good morning, Ulquiorra," she greeted. He gave no acknowledgment that he had heard her. He went to make himself a cup of coffee. Orihime sat herself down at the table. Ulquiorra leaned against the counter while he waited for the coffee to finish. Orihime took a bite out of her meal and hummed in approval.

"Would you like some?" she asked when she noticed his stare. He just shook his head. Orihime went back to her meal. The only sound was her eating and the coffee being brewed. Orihime stopped mid-bite and turned to the man. She studied him for a moment.

"Ulquiorra, did you finish the book?" He turned to her, his expression blank.

"Yes," was his curt reply. Orihime smiled; she wanted to know what he thought of the book. She had cried after reading it. The story was so sad, but happy too.

"Did you like it?" she inquired. He shifted his stance and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his gray slacks.

"No. It was just a silly story. There was no meaning to it. It does not teach others about life or anything that can be useful to living," he stated matter-of-factly. Orihime pouted at his review.

Orihime crossed her arms and gave a determined look. "It has meaning. The story shows that by doing something nice for someone, you can get a reward. The two were so in love that they were willing to die together, even though she wasn't human. They had entrusted their hearts to one another. Even in death, they were together."

He gave her a look that seemed to be asking if she was stupid. "They entrusted their hearts to each other? The heart is just an organ. It is vital for pumping blood throughout the body, that is all."

Orihime stared at him. She frowned, her brows furrowing. "That's not true. The heart allows us to love people. It is able to hold the people we care about close to us even when they're far away. The heart is capable of more than just pumping blood. Everyone has a heart that feels love, pain, sadness, guilt, and joy. The story is saying that even in death, two people's hearts can be connected."

Orihime hadn't realized that Ulquiorra had moved. She had been so wrapped up in her speech, that when she saw him only a few feet away from her, she jumped. He had a deep frown on his face. His eyes stared into her own as if looking for her soul.

"You say that we all have a heart that feels those emotions. Yet, when I kill a man, woman, or child I feel nothing except it pumping blood," he said placing a hand over his heart.

"You say that hearts are connected, but I do not see this connection. Is it a string that is tightly wrapped around one's heart? Does it tighten so much that one feels the pain even in death? If I can not see or feel this connection you speak of, it does not exist. Even if I were to kill you right now and rip open your chest, all there would be is a useless organ. Do not lecture me about something that does not exist," he warned.

Orihime had leaned back in her chair. He turned away from her and poured the coffee in a cup. Without another glance, he left the kitchen. Orihime sighed and slouched over her omelet. She had thought that they had started getting along last night, but it seemed that she was back to square one.

* * *

**I really liked the scene about the heart that Ulquiorra and Orihime had. Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter. I'm not sure when I'm updating since I have AP exams, but I'm hoping soon.**

**Important note: Once summer vacation starts, I take a break from posting any new chapter until September. I'll still type up a few chapters, but I won't be posting. I will let you all know when that day comes, though.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	7. Chapter 7: Nel

**Illegal**

**Thanks for reviewing splitheart1120 and Streaks of moonlight. **

**The story in the last chapter,** _**Dust and Tree**_**, was purely made up. This chapter will focus more on Nel instead of Orihime.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Nel snuggled deeper in the covers. A muscular arm was wrapped around her waist. She knew it was time to get up, but didn't want to. For the past month and a half, Aizen hadn't sent her out on any "missions" and she was fine with it. She opened one hazel eye to look at the time; nine.

"More sleep," Grimmjow grumbled. He had felt her stirring and knew she would be getting up. Whenever Nel got up, he couldn't go back to sleep. Nel smiled and sat up. She gently moved his arm to the side and hopped out of bed.

"It's time to get up, Grimmjow," she insisted. Nel crossed her arms over her bare chest, not really worried that she was naked. The blue haired man cracked open his eyes. He glared at her, but his scowl turned into a lopsided smile as he kept staring at her.

Nel huffed, "Stop thinking lecherous thoughts." She turned on her heel and sauntered into the bathroom. Grimmjow chuckled before getting out of bed himself. His room was fairly clean, since Nel picked up most of his stuff. Their clothes were thrown in a pile near the foot of the bed.

Nel filled the tub with bubbles before slipping into the warm water. She sighed with content and slid further into the water. Her hair was piled in a messy bun on the top of her head. Grimmjow came in, yawning, and slipped in behind her. It was a good thing the tub was large.

Nel leaned her head against his chest. "It's nice to relax," she mumbled. He grunted in return. The two got into their daily routine of bathing each other. There was nothing sexual about it, for it was something they did every morning.

Nel was drying herself off when someone knocked at the door. Grimmjow was still in the bathroom. She secured her towel around her and opened the door. Tier stood in her usual suit, arms crossed.

"Aizen wants a meeting before breakfast. Hurry and get dressed, and tell Grimmjow," she said. Nel nodded and closed the door. Grimmjow had on a pair of black slacks and was towel drying his hair.

"Who was that?" he asked as he tossed the towel in an empty chair. Nel went over to his dresser and pulled out the clothes she had brought for the next day.

"Aizen is calling a meeting, so we should hurry," she replied while putting on her clothes.

Grimmjow snorted, "Just what I need in the fucking morning."

Nel and Grimmjow had a relationship; if that was the right word. They were seeing each other, but never said out loud that they were a couple. Nel would sometimes sleep in Grimmjow's room or he in her's. They never saw other people; Tier often pointed out that they were almost married in a way.

"Ready?" Nel asked. Grimmjow sighed and followed her out of his room. He locked the door and they went down the hall to the meeting room. Stopping outside of the room, Nel stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I love you," she whispered. Before she could pull away, Grimmjow grabbed her chin and kissed her fully on the mouth.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled into the kiss. He kissed her with a hunger and passion that made her toes curl in a good way. He bit her lower lip and effectively slid his tongue into her mouth. His hands rested on her hips as their tongues danced in a well known game. They pulled away, breathless.

Nel's cheeks were flushed red. Grimmjow grinned wolfishly and pulled away. He opened the door and she went in. Nel tried to smooth out her wrinkled shirt. A silly smile was present on her face even though she tried to hide it. He never said 'I love you' back, but Nel was fine with it.

Nel smiled when she saw Orihime. The orange haired woman gave a small smile. Aizen stared at his members with a serious expression. Orihime noted that there were a few empty seats. Tosen stood to the man's right.

"It seems that Zommari Rureaux and Aaroniero Arruruerie have been killed. They had gone on an assignment and were met by police from Seireitei. It seems that we have a spy among us. Now, who might it be?" he said. No one answered as they stared anywhere but in his direction.

Nel pursed her lips. She didn't really know Zommari and Aaroniero personally. They never really talked during the meetings. She couldn't imagine that someone would betrayed Aizen. It was a bold and stupid move on their part. Aizen had eyes everywhere.

Aizen smiled coldly. "No one wants to speak? Fine, I want my Espada to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. I don't want to believe that there is a traitor among my most loyal followers."

His brown eyes swept over each member with purpose; a reminder that he held their fates in the palm of his hands. He could destroy as easily as he made them. Everyone remained seated as the man left with Tosen.

"Well fuck," Nnoitra finally said. Most of the others started to talk amongst themselves. Some left right after Aizen. Orihime fidgeted nervously. She hadn't been in contact with anyone since she came to Las Noches. She wondered who was working against Aizen and if they knew about her.

"Something wrong, Himeko?" Nel asked with concern. She had noticed that her skin had paled considerably. Orihime quickly shook her head. Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed at her strange behavior, but he made no comment.

"I was thinking of having a girl's night. What do you think?" the green haired woman asked. Orihime blinked and stared at her. For some who had just received the news that there might be a spy, Nel was being awfully chipper.

"T-that sounds like fun. What would we do?" she asked.

Nel tapped her chin. "We could go out to a dance club and have some fun. Then we can come back and just stay up all night. It'll be like a sleepover back when we were kids!"

Orihime smiled. "Will it just be us?"

"Tier can come! Right?" Nel shouted and looked at the blond. Tier didn't look too happy at the thought. Before she could say no, Nel gave her a begging look.

"Fine," she said with a sigh. Starrk had an amused smile on his usually sleepy face. He couldn't imagine Tier having fun at a sleepover.

"Great! Let's go change," Nel squealed. She grabbed Orihime's arm and pulled her out of the room. Tier followed at a slower pace. The rest of the men grumbled, wondering what they would do with their time off.

-:-

Orihime looked around at the dance club. The band was playing a lively jazz tune and people were dancing like it was going out of style. Nel had managed to put her in a knee length, flapper style dress. It bared her arms and had a not so modest cleavage.

Nel wore another figure flattering gown. It was red and bared her back. One long slit on her right leg went up to her hip. Nel had piled her hair into a neat bun. Tier had refused to dress in the outfit Nel had presented her.

Instead, she wore a knee length silver colored dress. It had long, open sleeves and dipped low in the front and back. Orihime looked around nervously at the people. She could feel the stares of random men on the group the moment they had walked in.

Ulquiorra stood off to the side at another table. He was watching Orihime as part of Aizen's orders to protect her. Grimmjow had decided to come the moment he saw Nel in her dress. He wanted to make sure no one else touched her or they would find a bullet through their brains. Starrk was dragged along by Tier. Said man was nursing a glass of scotch.

"Isn't this wonderful!" Nel shouted. Orihime nodded uncertainly. Tier took a sip of her whisky.

Nel continued, "This is the best dance club in Las Noches. The band is the best and only plays on Fridays. Plus, they serve the best shrimp cocktails."

Just then, a waitress came up to them. She had her black hair in two pigtails. Her outfit was a white and black frilled skirt with a black bow in the front and low bustier. She looked to be in her mid-teens. Her pink eyes narrowed when she saw Orihime.

"What do you want," she grunted, not taking her eyes off the orange head.

"We'll have three, no make it four, shrimp cocktails. I want a glass of red wine, too. Thanks Loly," Nel sang.

"I'll have another whisky," Tier replied. Orihime looked at both women. She wondered if she should order a drink or not.

"I don't have all day," Loly hissed; she held the swear that was about to come out of her mouth.

Ever since she heard about Himeko Barabasa and how Aizen favored her, Loly hated her with every fiber in her body. She had heard that Himeko was a rather pretty orange haired woman with large brown eyes and ample cleavage. She knew that this woman, standing across from her, was Himeko. No one got close to Aizen except her; though she failed many times.

"Uh, I'll have a coke, please," Orihime mumbled. Loly huffed and left the three.

Tier stared bordedly at the band. Her green eyes seemed glazed over as she was in her own world. Nel hummed to the sound of the band. Orihime twisted her hands nervously.

"This is fucking boring," Grimmjow complained. He had a bottle of gin on the table. Ulquiorra broke his gaze from the three women to give Grimmjow a look.

"No one asked you to come. If you are bored, leave," he said simply. Grimmjow snorted in disgust.

"As if I would leave Nel to these morons," he snarled. His electric blue eyes darted around the room at the men ogling the three women. Starrk smiled faintly into his cup.

Loly came back with their orders. She placed the drinks and shrimp cocktails down; she placed Orihime's drink down with a little too much force; some of it sloshed onto the table.

"Oops," she said flatly.

Orihime laughed nervously and wiped the mess away with some of the small napkins available. Loly stormed away, leaving the women to their drinks and food. Orihime took a tentative sip of her coke and chewed slowly on her shrimps. She wished she had some mayonnaise and mustard to spice up the shrimps.

After a few silent moments, Orihime opens her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut. She tries to find the right words for her question. Nel noticed her struggle.

"What's the matter, Hime?" she asked. Orihime chewed on her straw.

"I-I was wondering why you work for Aizen. I mean, you seem really nice and not the type to...um well work for him," she, finally said. Nel smiled sadly at her.

Nel sighed. "Well, I never really did expect to find myself working for Aizen, let alone be in his group of Espada. I joined for the sake of my brothers..."

* * *

_**A few years back**_

Nel sighed as she slumped over into her old bed. She had worked a double shift at the local diner. Her body felt like it had been pushed through a meat grinder. Her black- green hair was falling out of its ponytail.

"Nelliel, what's for dinner?" called a voice. Nel quickly sat up and hid her tired expression as two males ran into the room they shared. Her half brothers, Pesche and Dondochakka, flopped onto the old bed.

Pesche was a pale, skinny, and long limbed boy. He was eight years younger than Nel and the oldest male. His blond hair was kept in a long, messy manner. Dondochakka was a heavy set, short boy. His brown hair fell in a mop over his head. He was slightly tanner than Pesche.

"Um, what do we have left in the kitchen?" Nel asked.

Dondochakka answered, "A jar of pickles, three eggs, and half a bottle of ketchup." Nel felt the urge to bang her head. She hadn't made much money working that day; she didn't know how much food she could afford for two growing boys.

"Alright, let's go shopping," she cheered. The two brothers jumped up and ran out to grab their shoes. Nel pulled off her work clothes and settled for a plain green dress. It was kind of shapeless; Nel was just grateful that the missionary had clothes to give them.

Nel and her brothers were all half siblings. Nel's mother was a prostitute and got pregnant with Nel. Instead of ridding herself of the child, her mother decided to raise her. Her mother often had different men in their two room apartment. A few years later, Pesche was born. Then, Dondochakka came along a year after.

Nel was left to take care of her siblings, not that she minded. She loved her brothers with all her heart. One day, when Nel had hit fifteen, her mother never came home. Nel was already working to pay for food. Their mother, though she didn't know how to raise children, loved her kids. She would spend all her money she made on feeding them. Nel never really saw her mother eat much. She usually smoked to quench her hunger. The three later found that their mother had been hit by a truck. Since she was just a "common whore," no one paid much attention.

Nel had been told that she looked much like her mother. She had her hazel eyes and tan skin. Her hair, which was a dark black almost green, was inherited from the father she never met. Nel made it her duty to take care of Pesche and Dondochakka. She tried to teach them proper schooling - she only going to school until her mother disappeared - and feed them nutritionally.

Nel had developed a good aim while growing up. She use to throw stones at people who tried to bother them. She had learned to play darts at the bar she worked for. Later, she learned the art of knife throwing from an expert from a circus in town. Nel usually kept a few throwing knives -a gift from the knife thrower - with her when she went out. It was best to be cautious in a dangerous city.

The day she met Aizen was one of the days she feared the most. She and her brothers went out to shop. Nel went to buy a few things while the two ran around the store. She bought the regular milk, flour, veggies, and some sliced ham.

"Nelliel, can we get some ice cream?!" Pesche asked, excitedly. Nel chewed her lower lip; she wanted to, but she didn't have enough money.

Trying to sound serious she said, "We can't have ice cream today. Maybe some other time." Pesche and Dondochakka sadly put the ice cream away. She paid for the groceries and they made their way down the alley toward home.

A man, most likely a drug dealer stopped in front of them. "Hey, girlie, want to make some quick money?" Nel's face stayed emotionless while she kept her brothers behind her.

"No thank you," she replied, stiffly. She quickly walked around him; Pesche and Dondochakka ran ahead of her. The man grabbed her elbow and pulled hard. Nel gasped as her bundle fell out of her hands.

"You don't really have an option, girlie," he sneered. Nel's eyes widened as she saw more men come into the alley. Her eyes darted to Dondochakka and Pesche. She silently told them to leave, but they didn't budge.

"Told ya she's looks just like 'er whore of a ma," one man cackled. Nel stiffened at the mention of her mother. She twisted her arm from the man's grasp and swifty punched him the nose; she smiled at the sound of an audible crack.

"Bitch!" he screamed before covering his bloody nose. Nel fingered her knives under her dress. She had them strapped to her right thigh.

"Pesche, bring Dondochakka home, now," she ordered. Pesche opened his mouth to protest, but Nel gave him a look that caused his mouth to snap shut. The skinny boy grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him out of the alley.

Nel pulled out one knife. Her eyes darted to the four men. They glared at her and stalked toward her. She effectively dodged as one lunged at her. She threw her knife and it struck its target; right into a man's heart that had been standing farther away from her. She ignored the scream he let out.

She pulled out a second one. This was her only one left. She tried to avoid using her knives. She kicked, punched and slashed her way through the four men. She huffed as she surveyed the wounded men. The man she had hit was dead; the others were bleeding or had black eyes.

"Move and I blow yer brains out," hissed a voiced. The man she had punched in the nose pressed the revolver to her temple. Nel held still; her breath hitched in her throat. The man pulled the knife out of her grasp and tossed it behind him.

"Now yer gonna be a good little bitch and do as I say," he growled. Nel made no move to answer. His hand, not holding the gun, roughly grasped her left breast. Nel cringed at the pain. Her hands trembled at her sides. If she died right now, she wouldn't be able to protect her brothers. She knew the only way to leave alive was to let the men do what they wanted with her.

Nel hung her head as his hands traveled to the hem of her dress. She couldn't recall what happened next, but there was a shout and then the sound of footsteps. Nel didn't bother to look up. She assumed it was the other men coming to get their fill.

"Who the fuck are-" the sound of a gun going off startled her. She felt the revolver drop from her head. She twisted around and ducked as gunfire filled the alley. She blindly grappled around for her knife. Instead, her hand met with cool metal.

She scooted back in between two garbage piles. The sound of guns had stopped. The footsteps echoed through the quiet alley. Nel could hear her own heart thumping loudly. She gripped the gun tightly and readied herself to shoot whoever was coming toward her. The footsteps stopped.

"Ms. Tu Odelschwanck, I won't hurt you," came a gentle, but firm male voice. Nel hesitated before crawling out of her hiding place. She still had a firm hold on the gun, just in case. The man who stood a little ways from her was dressed in impeccable clothes. His white suit was clean and his black shoes shined.

She met his brown eyes and stared. "I'm Sosuke Aizen, and I have a proposition for you."

* * *

"Aizen offered my brothers and I a safe place. They would be able to go to school and eat whatever they wanted. I would be able to protect them as long as I worked for Aizen. It was the deal of a lifetime. I accepted and here I am," Nel finished her story.

Orihime's head spun at the words. She couldn't imagine Nel's life. Her own parents hardly cared for her and her brother. She, at least, had Sora to care for her when she was young. She, also, had loving friends who helped her.

Nel had to survive on her own. Her only priority was to care for her brothers. Orihime stared sadly down at her coke. Nel patted her warmly on the shoulder.

"Don't feel bad, Hime. I'm twenty-five and happy. Pesche will be graduating from school and going to college to become a lawyer. Dondochakka will be going into his last year of high school. I don't have to worry about men coming after me," she said, smiling.

"Course she won't or I'll beat the crap outta them if they even look at her," Grimmjow snarled, appearing next to Nel suddenly. Orihime nearly had a heart attack. Grimmjow grinned wickedly at her before throwing an arm around Nel's waist.

Nel sighed contently and leaned into his chest. Tier had wandered off to Starrk. The two had disappeared onto the dance floor. Ulquiorra sat at the table alone, still watching them. Nel placed a hand on Orihime's arm.

"Don't forget, Hime, everyone has a reason for being here. Not all of them are like mine, but a lot of them are for selfless reasons," Nel said before tugging a reluctant Grimmjow onto the dance floor. Orihime watched as the couple swayed to the slow music. They stared at each other; only they existed on the dance floor. Orihime smiled before taking a sip of her coke.

* * *

**Wow, that was a hard chapter to write. Hope you liked Nel's story. I'm hoping to update soon, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	8. Chapter 8: His Wish

**Illegal**

**Updates will be slow because I'm finishing school. I have lots of tests and projects. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Ulquiorra stood stiffly and respectfully in front of the man who he followed without question. The pale man owed Aizen a great debt from saving him from his pitiful, previous life. Aizen had called him to his office - which consisted of a marble throne that was elevated up high on steps and plain pillars held the ceiling up - early in the morning.

Ulquiorra rarely slept; he stayed up late in the library or would stare at the ceiling in his room. Sleep didn't come easy for him, yet he was able to operate perfectly everyday. Grimmjow often made the jab that he was a robot, which he blatantly ignored.

"How are you Ulquiorra?" Aizen inquired. It was always the same routine. Aizen would ask about their health and then give the assignment. Failure was not an option when it came to Aizen's assignments.

"I am well, Aizen-sama," he replied.

Aizen smiled. "Good. Now, it seems that Takaru Miyoshi is trying to gain more influence. Eliminate him as a reminder to those who forget their place," he ordered.

"Of course, sir," Ulquiorra said and bowed. He turned to leave and opened the heavy oak door.

"Ulquiorra," he stopped, " bring Ms. Barabasa with you too," Aizen added. Ulquiorra stiffened slightly, but kept nodded in response. He closed the door and headed down the hall. A deep frown marred his pale face.

It had been a little over three months since the woman, Himeko Barabasa, had joined Aizen's Espadas. From what he observed, she was foolish, too kind, too caring, and naive. She wasn't what he expected from a person known for espionage, and who stole the Hogyoku. She didn't belong here, yet she was still here.

Ulquiorra strolled down the hall to the library. He had seen her sneak into the room when he was going to see Aizen. She hadn't returned to the library since the last time they met there. He had found himself glancing at the door as if waiting for her to show up. He shook his head at the ridiculous thought. He didn't want her getting in his way of the assignment.

He opened the door to the library and glanced around the brightly lit room. He spotted her sitting in a chair under the large window. The sun seemed the illuminate her hair. Ulquiorra could see strands of yellow, copper, red, and brown intermingled in the locks. For a split second she almost looked unearthly, but he quickly shook that notion off. The tap of his shoes caught her attention.

Orihime heard the clicking of footsteps and looked up. She smiled warmly when she saw Ulquiorra advancing toward her. She had decided that she would try her best to understand him because Nel was right; everyone had their reasons for being here, even Ulquiorra.

"Morning, Ulquiorra," she greeted. His eye darted to the book she had on her lap; another fiction one.

Regaining his thoughts, he said, "Aizen-sama wants you to come on an assignment with me. We are leaving right now." His voice didn't leave any room for protest. Orihime looked at him questioningly, but stood up and placed her book on the chair. The two walked briskly out of the library and out of the building.

Ulquiorra moved past the usual chauffeur driven car and to a smaller one. It was still sleek and new, but he sat himself into the driver's side. Orihime scrambled to the passenger's side and firmly shut the door. He started up the car and they drove in silence.

Orihime looked out the window. They passed the usual stores that she and Nel went shopping. As they kept moving, she noted that the buildings started to get smaller and more cramped together. The people who were out, dressed in clothes that looked either too large or very worn out. She saw a few children playing on the sidewalk barefooted.

"Um, Ulquiorra? Where are we going?" she finally asked. The man had been waiting for her to ask and was slightly surprised that she had just decided to.

"There is a man who has forgotten his place. Aizen-sama wants him eliminated," he answered. Orihime had a horrified look look on her face.

"Y-you're going to kill him," she whispered. He made no comment. They stopped in front of an old, ratty apartment building. Orihime got out and stared at the boarded up windows and the few men - drunks - sprawled out on the steps.

"Come," Ulquiorra ordered. He quickly made his way to the building and walked over the drunk men without looking back. Orihime followed and tried to keep up with his long strides. They climbed a narrow staircase to the top floor. She could hear a radio playing the classical music and the sound of laughter.

"Dear, please sit down. The children aren't going to eat if you keep distracting them," a woman's voice called. A hearty laugh came after. Ulquiorra stopped at the door and knocked. Orihime stood behind him twisting her hands.

"I'll get it!" a boy's voice shouted. The sound of small feet running made its way to the front door. A boy of no more than eight opened the door. He had messy brown hair and large blue eyes. His chubby cheeks were spread in a smile.

"Hello, can I help you?" he asked as he peered at the two.

Ulquiorra's expression of neutrality didn't change. "May I come in? I'm here for business with Takaru Miyoshi." The boy happily nodded and let the two in. Orihime felt her heart tug when he smiled widely at her.

He led the two in and looked back at them with the same innocent smile. "Papa is eating, but he won't mind if he has visitors."

They walked into a small kitchen. Orihime spotted an older woman with curly, brown hair and merry brown eyes. She held a small baby in her arms. The man sitting at the table had a salt and pepper coloring to his hair and mustache.

"Papa, a man says he wants to see you," the boy announced. Takaru looked up and paled at the sight of the new people. Orihime saw his hand, which had been holding a cup, was shaking.

"Y-Yuta, come here," he whispered. Yuta looked at his father strangely, but came over. His wife's expression had turned grim as she wrapped a protective arm around her son. Takaru stood up and gave a nervous smile.

"Ulquiorra, w-what can I do for you?" His voice shook.

Ulquiorra's eyes swept the room before boring into Takaru's blue eyes. "Takaru Miyoshi, you have been charged with trying to raise up in power and forgetting your place in Las Noches. I am here to take care of the problem."

The man's hands shook. Suddenly he bolted from the table to the other side of the room. Orihime couldn't tell what happened next, but Takaru had been halfway to the gun laying on the coffee table and then a shot rang out. His body fell to the ground with a solid thud. Blood pooled around his head, seeping into the worn rug. Orihime heard a scream, but his wife wasn't screaming. Her mouth was wide open in shock. Orihime realized that she had been the one to scream.

"T-Takaru!" his wife cried.

"Daddy!" Yuta ran over to his dead father and shook his shoulders. Tears streamed down his face. Ulquiorra still held the the gun and cocked it toward the boy. The woman screamed and blocked her son. She still held the baby in her arms.

"P-Please don't kill my son. You already took away my husband," she begged. Orihime's hands shook; her eyes wide. She touched Ulquiorra's shoulder. The man turned his head toward her; his eyes dull.

"You said you were assigned to kill him. Please leave them alone," she whispered.

Ulquiorra looked at her blankly and said, "If I were to leave them alive, they would come after Aizen-sama for revenge. The child may be young, but when he grows up he will look for his father's killer. When Aizen-sama tells me to eliminate one man, he means everyone who is with him."

Orihime shook her head and gripped his shoulder tighter. "B-but, you can't kill c-children."

"Leave," he ordered. The orange haired woman's eyes widened and she shook her head. She didn't want the family to be killed. Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed and he pulled away from her. He raised the gun and shot in quick sessions. Orihime screamed and covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

The sound of the radio could be heard; a happy tune played in the background. Then, the baby started to cry. Ulquiorra stepped over the bodies of the boy and mother. The baby was still cradled in her chest. The baby cried, her face turning red. Orihime could hear the child crying and pulled her hands away from her ears. She opened her eyes to see if the baby was alright. She watched in horror as Ulquiorra lowered the gun to the baby's head.

"No!" One shot rang out and the crying ceased. Orihime covered her mouth as a sob broke out. She collapsed onto the floor and cried. Ulquiorra turned back to her; he stared at her without remorse.

"If you wish to survive this world, you must kill before they can kill you. In Aizen-sama's world, everyone who defies him is an enemy. If you can't kill, then you won't live long. Aizen-sama has no room for people who are hesitant to do his bidding. We shall get breakfast, now," he said.

Walking around the sobbing woman, he walked to the front of the apartment and out the door. The sound of the door slamming met Orihime's ears. Her tears kept falling, mixing with the blood spreading on the floor.

She slowly stopped crying after a while. Orihime wiped the tears away. She avoided looking at the bodies as she got up. She made her way to the front and walked down the stairs. The sound of the radio fading away as she went She walked to the waiting car in a daze. She got in and didn't look at Ulquiorra.

After a few minutes of silence, she asked, "Why?" Ulquiorra looked at her from the corner of his vision. Her eyes and nose were red from crying.

"It is Aizen-sama's wish," he replied. Orihime stared at her hands. She wondered if Nel had killed in cold blood like that. Most likely everyone had and Aizen may someday expect her to do the same. The car stopped in front of a cafe. Orihime got out; she nearly collided with a customer coming out.

"I'm sorry," she said. The person was bundled up in a long brown trench and a wide brim hat covered their face. Ulquiorra came around the other side and walked ahead of her. The stranger, in their haste, dropped a scrap of paper. Orihime quickly picked up the paper and called out for the person. They had already disappeared from sight.

"Throw it away," Ulquiorra said. Orihime sighed and looked at the paper. Her breath caught in her throat at the words scrawled on the paper.

_Meet at Kuro Market. 1 PM in a week from today._

"Barabasa, what is so interesting on the paper?" Ulquiorra demanded. Orihime quickly crumbled up the paper. Plastering a large smile on her face, she looked up at the man with cold eyes.

"It was a shopping list that said it needed women's underwear. The person who dropped it looked more like a man, don't you think?" she inquired.

Ulquiorra stared at her for a moment before turning to go into the cafe. Orihime let out a sigh and hurried after him, making sure to stuff the note in her pocket.

* * *

**Hope you all liked the chapter. This was slightly darker, but it shows that not everything is shopping trips and dancing. See you all next chapter, hopefully.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	9. Chapter 9: Himeko's Notebook 2

**Illegal**

**Important: Updates may slow down to one a month. I'll be working at my summer job, writing college essays, and maybe going on vacation for the first time in three years. **

**Thanks to splitheart1120, Streaks of moonlight, miguelturner884, and EmiG6 for reviewing. Special thanks to Streaks of moonlight for lifting up my spirits earlier.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

* * *

Orihime sat up and huffed. She had been twisting and turning for two nights since seeing Ulquiorra kill in cold blood. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw blood, bodies and the baby. She knew it was part of his job, but she couldn't believe that he could kill so many innocent people and be all right.

She got out of bed and turned on the lamp. Kneeling down, she opened the old trunk. Orihime dug her fingers on the side of the trunk until she felt the hidden seam. Pulling out the diary, she went to her desk and stared at it.

"I shouldn't read it because it's not mine. It's an invasion of privacy," she mumbled. On the other hand, she really wanted to know more about the woman she was pretending to be. Plus, her own name was written in the book and she wanted to know why.

Finally, she took a deep breath and flipped the notebook open to the page she had last read. Orihime looked behind her as if making sure no one was watching. She glanced at the clock; it blared two in the morning. Looking back at the entry, she found her place.

_December 1921_

_I've finally managed to get a job! Hiro wouldn't approve if he knew what it was, so I told him I landed a small acting role. I'm actually a dancer for a club. It's like being a showgirl, and I get to wear cool costumes. Plus, I get paid a lot. I love the thrill of everyone watching me as I do my number. It makes my head buzz and I feel amazing._

_Oh, mother and father came to visit us. They said they're sorry for neglecting us. They want to try and make it work. At least they stopped drinking. Hiro and I are still going to live in our little apartment, though._

_I have to go make dinner. I've decided to hide my journal under the broken floorboard under my bed. Brother won't notice since I clean the house._

_March 1922_

_They lied! My whole life with Hiro has been a fucking lie! He's not my brother! Apparently, Hiro was adopted into my family when he was one year old. His real family were friends with mother and father. They died in a train accident, so they decided to care for him. Five years later, they have me._

_I can't believe that they waited until Hiro was twenty-six to tell him the truth. I mean, I'm glad he's not my real brother since I've been having not so sisterly dreams about him, but how could they lie to him for so many years?! Mother thought it was about time to tell Hiro the truth. He doesn't know that I know because I was eavesdropping._

_Hiro has been angry for the entire week. He goes out and comes home drunk. He smells of alcohol and cigarettes. I'm afraid that he'll get himself killed. I need to stop him, now._

_June 1922_

_I got a new job. I started learning to put on elaborate disguises and decided I would be a spy. I know it sounds dumb, but people will pay money for a good spy. I got my first job a month ago. I was to watch the owner of some company. Cozy up to him and get him to trust me. Then, I was to steal some documents that have some important stuff and bring them to my employer._

_The guy who hired me is in competition with the other one. He paid me $1,000 a day to do the job. It took me about two weeks to get the old geezer to trust me. Then another week to find where he kept his confidential things. After I got him nice and tipsy, I stole all the papers. If he's looking for Yumi Hiroshi, he won't find her._

_Anyways, the only way people know about me is in the "black market." It's kind of illegal to be a spy unless you work for the police or something. Only the people who know where to look can find me. It's a profitable job. Hiro can't watch me since I've moved into my own apartment. I'm a free woman._

_October 1922_

_I did it. I finally told Hiro how I feel about him. He told me to give him time. He still sees me as his sister even if we're not blood related. I'm crossing my fingers._

_On another note, mother died of cancer. That made Hiro stop smoking. The funeral was small. father cried a lot that day. I kinda miss her. She had tried her best to make things up to me. I don't think father will be the same._

_October 1922_

_He loves me! Hiro announced that he loves me! He said he doesn't see me as his sister, even though he tried to. I'm thrilled. We're going to start out slow, but hopefully it'll work out._

_January 1923_

_Father committed suicide. He hasn't been the same since mother passed away. On the first day of January, he went home after our New Year's party and shot himself. I never liked guns, and now I hate them even more._

_Hiro and I are alone now. It's just him and me. I'll be twenty-two soon and Hiro turned twenty-seven the day after father died. I think we'll be able to care for ourselves._

_I still haven't told him about my job. I work part-time as a waitress at a cafe, so he won't be suspicious. I don't know if I'll ever tell him. I don't want him to look at me differently. I've tricked many people, especially men, to get what I need. I've made a name for myself._

_Hiro still calls me by my real name. I've forgotten that Himeko Barabasa isn't my real name. I even wrote it in my first entry. Ayami. Ayami Uro sounds so...so plain. I don't want a name that people will easily forget. I want everyone to know my name._

_January 1924_

_He's gone. Hiro is gone forever. He...he got shot while working at the bar. I-I can't believe it. Hiro had just...just proposed to me on Christmas. We were supposed to get married in May. Why? Why did this happen?_

…_._

_I'll kill whoever did this. I'll make them wish they never were born. They'll feel the pain I feel. Hiro Uro will not die in vain. I will have my revenge!_

Orihime stared wide-eyed at the entry. Himeko had lost someone she loved. She was after revenge. Was that why she wanted to join Aizen? Gain more power to find the ones who killed her brother? Orihime closed the notebook, deciding to save the rest for later, and sighed.

She could understand the woman's anger. Although, if someone she loved had been killed, revenge would be the farthest thing from her mind. Everyone needed to grieve first. When stricken with sadness, the person's senses were not rational. Himeko, no Ayami, needed time to grieve for her loss. Then, maybe she could think.

Orihime placed the notebook back in its hiding place. Glancing at the clock, again, she decided to go to the library. Ulquiorra would most likely be there. She didn't want to keep avoiding him. Maybe once she talked to him, the nightmares would go away.

-:-

Ulquiorra rubbed his temples. He had been reading the same paragraph over and over. His mind wasn't into the text. Placing his glasses on top of the large tome, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The library was silent as always; only the tick of the clock made a sound.

He had been getting less sleep than he had been in a long time. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see that woman's face. The horrified look she had. He could feel her hands shaking as she tried to stop him. He had decided that staying up was his only option if he didn't want to see the look.

Ulquiorra wasn't without feeling. He felt something when he saw the look she had. She saw a monster. She saw the real him. With others, he was fine with that, but with her, it made something inside him cringe. He decided to ignore the feeling; the woman was obviously avoiding him.

The pale man closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Ulquiorra found that emotions got in the way of doing what you had too. He had learned, at a young age, to push all emotions to the back of his mind. In a way, he had forgotten that he could feel. It was the woman, Barabasa, that made him remember he was human and not an emotionless robot.

The squeak of the door made him jerk. He quickly sat up, and in the process made his glasses glatter to the floor. He frowned and glared at the woman of his thoughts. Speak of the devil. He bent down and picked up his fallen frames.

He placed his glasses back on his nose and went back to his book. He tried to read, but he could hear her walk toward him. He waited for her to turn right to the fiction section. It had been a while since she had last ventured into the library when he was here.

"Um, Ulquiorra?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. He sighed and looked at her; showing that she had his full attention.

He watched as she twisted her hands. "C-can I ask you a question?"

"You can, but it does not mean I will answer," he replied curtly. He waited for her to voice whatever question she had. He glanced at his book impatiently.

When she hadn't said anything, he said, "Woman, I do not have all day. Ask or leave me in peace."

She squeaked and started to babble an apology. He cut her off with a look. She laughed nervously and rubbed her hands together. After some thought and more silence, her facial features turned serious.

"Why did you kill them all?" she asked. Ulquiorra blinked at her. He had thought she would ask some question like why he was up. He hadn't thought she was still thinking about two days ago. He had answered this question when she had gotten into the car. Perhaps she had forgotten.

Staring into her eyes, he answered, "Aizen-sama wished for it to be done."

"So, you wouldn't have done it if Aizen-sama hadn't asked you to?" she pushed. Ulquiorra felt his head ache from the lack of sleep. He sighed and took his glasses off. He rubbed his eyes and wondered if she would be interrogating him for the rest of the morning.

"If Aizen-sama does not give me a job, I leave people alone. I do not kill unless ordered by him to do so," he said, sounding tired.

He watched as her features relaxed. It seemed as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her eyes gained back the light he had seen the first time she had joined. She smiled brightly and grasped his hands. The man was so surprised that he didn't pull away.

"That's wonderful. You aren't a bad man, Ulquiorra. I hope that we can be friends," she breathed.

Ulquiorra studied her face. She seemed to genuinely believe that people like them became friends. The Espada worked together, but they were all far from friends. Only Nelliel believed that she was friends with everyone. Now this woman thought it was possible.

He pulled his hands away from hers, not without noticing how much warmer her hands were compared to his. "The Espada are trained killers. We do not make friends with each other. Having emotional attachments to others will get you killed," he stated.

Orihime just smiled and simply said, "Everyone needs a friend, even here. It makes the days less lonely."

With that said, she skipped off to the fiction section. Ulquiorra watched, from his perpetual vision, as she quickly picked a book and cozied up in the chair by the window. He frowned and placed his glasses back on.

He tried to read his text, but gave up. His mind was distracted with the woman in the room. He looked over at her. She was immersed in her story. Orihime felt eyes on her and looked up. Ulquiorra held her gaze for a moment, before turning away.

After looking at his head for awhile, an idea came to her. "Ulquiorra, would you like me to read to you?" she inquired. The man leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Do what you wish." Orihime paused and studied him. She wondered if that was an invitation or not. Ulquiorra sighed and cracked one green eye open.

"Are you not going to read?" he asked, impatient.

Orihime grinned and quickly got up. She pulled the spare chair at the table back and sat down. She flipped to the beginning of the book and peeked over at the raven haired man. He had his eyes closed and seemed to be trying to relax.

She had noticed his rumpled clothes. He was getting faint circles under his eyes. His hair was messier than usual. Orihime had concluded that he too had a hard time sleeping. When she was younger, she had found that when Sora read a story, she would fall asleep quicker and have pleasant dreams.

Clearing her throat, she started, "'I have seen many people die. I have seen many people die by my hand. I have seen many people die by the hands of my friends and enemies. I am sick of what I see and wish to never see again.' That was what I thought on the last day of my old life. I didn't know that my wish would be granted, and that I would, soon, be starting something new..."

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**Sorry for the wait. I'm finishing finals and I'm dying here. Hope you like the chapter. I think this will be the start of a new friendship, yes? See you all next chapter.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	10. Chapter 10: Kuro Market

**Illegal**

**I'm still alive, but barely living. Sorry for the super late update. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

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Ulquiorra stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. He glanced over to the orange haired woman next to him. Orihime smiled brightly as she hummed a tune. She had woken up early and requested to go to Kuro Market. The market was on the outskirts of Las Noches. People sold their goods in market stalls; much like a bazaar.

Nel had requested to come. Ulquiorra glared at his watch for the fifth time. If the green haired woman didn't come soon, he would leave without her. Speaking of green, Nel's hair had turned an actual green color a few days ago. Apparently when she went to get her hair done, the stylist somehow turned it green. Nevertheless the older woman liked it and no longer wore her green ribbons.

The sound of two different footsteps could be heard. "Why do I have to come," whined Grimmjow. He was walking slowly behind Nel, who was walking briskly toward the waiting people.

Nel turned her head toward him. "I want to buy some things, and I need the muscles to carry it back." A thoughtful look passed over the blue haired man's face, then he grinned arrogantly. Nel rolled her eyes and smiled to herself.

"Does he really need to come?" Ulquiorra asked, his voice serious.

Grimmjow gave him a smug smile. "Unlike you, I have muscle instead of noodle arms."

Ulquiorra scoffed, "She only said that so you would agree to come."

Before Grimmjow could respond, Nel pushed him toward the car. Both men headed to the driver's side. Nel and Orihime slipped in the back and watched as the men eyed each other when they both touched the door.

"I'm driving," Ulquiorra stated firmly. Grimmjow barred his teeth and gripped the door handle.

"Like hell. I'm the better driver."

Ulquiorra lifted a dark eyebrow. "I doubt that. You've been in at least five accidents in the past three months." They shared a stare down until Grimmjow growled and pulled away.

"Tch, whatever. I'm driving back." He stormed over to the passenger side and got in. He crossed his arms and looked moodily in front of him.

Nel leaned over to Orihime and whispered, "They act like they hate each other, but they're actually quite close. They're more alike than they seem."

Both men heard. "We are not alike," one shouted while the other calmly said. Orihime couldn't stop the smile from creeping up. She and Nel shared a laugh as the car made it's way to the market.

Orihime became quieter as they neared their destination. Now that she was going to the meeting place, she was nervous. How was she supposed to find the person she was to meet? Where was she supposed to be in the market? Who was she meeting?

She was so lost in thought that she didn't feel the car come to a stop. Nel tugged on her arm, but the woman made no move of being aware. Ulquiorra opened the other passenger door and eyed her.

"Woman, do you want to be left in the car?" he asked. Orihime jumped at the sound of his voice. She looked around confused before scrambling out of the car. Her ears were assaulted by the sounds of the market.

Vendors were shouting their goods and prices. Customers cried over the noise to be heard. There were many people milling around. The stalls each had a colorful tarp over them. They showcased their goods at the front. Orihime stared in awe at the different goods. There were so many things; some she knew others were a complete mystery to her.

"Intense, right," Grimmjow asked her. He had a wide grin on his face. Orihime nodded mutely in response. Nel smiled and grasped her hand. She pulled her toward the crowed of people. Ulquiorra and Grimmjow followed closely behind as Nel showed Orihime the different stalls.

"They sell so many foreign goods. I've gotten silk and Indian spices for a really good price," Nel explained. Orihime's head spun as the sounds, smells, and sights passed by so quickly. Where on earth should she start?

-:-

"Why the hell would I pay one hundred and eighty-nine dollars for a foot of cloth!" Grimmjow argued with the seller.

After spending time wandering, Nel had taken Orihime to her favorite stalls. There were exotic spices, jewelry, clothes, and other nicknacks. Nel wanted to purchase a bolt of turquoise silk from a vendor she knew well. Unfortunately, Grimmjow decided the price was too high and was arguing with the elderly lady.

"It hard to come by. Silk cost much now a days," the Indian woman defended in broken Japanese. The woman had dark skin and midnight black hair in a long braid. Her outfit was brightly colored and very beautiful. Nel had told her that the woman wore a sari.

"Grimmjow, stop arguing with Shiva," Nel insisted. The blue haired man paid no attention to her and continued to haggle. Shiva, old as she may be, knew how to deal with people like him. She crossed her arms and gave him an aloof look.

Nel sighed. "He always has to try and haggle. Sometimes I wonder why since we make so much." Orihime gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm. She moved away from the bickering and over to the jewelry. Ulquiorra was leaning against the stall that contained books. His eyes were closed as if he was taking a nap.

"Ulquiorra, do you like this?" Said man opened his eyes and turned to face the orange haired woman. He was met with a solid gold face mask. The mask had its mouth opened wide to show a fearsome scowl. A red jewel in the center of the forehead and narrowed eyes holes. Orihime's chocolate eyes stared back.

She pulled the mask off and grinned. "I think it's pretty neat. Kind of how I would want to look in the future. Oh, maybe shooting red beams out of my eyes too!"

Ulquiorra took the mask from her. He studied it and placed it back on the stall table. "The Hindu goddess Kali is a very powerful deity in their religion." Orihime stared in fascination at the information he knew.

"That's amazing that you know so much. How do you-" Suddenly a person pushed into Ulquiorra. They stumbled and grabbed onto his arm. The sound of ripping fabric could be heard. Ulquiorra stared at what use to be his jacket sleeve.

"Whoops, sorry chum," the man slurred. He laughed and pounded the pale man on the back. Orihime saw a slight change in his facial expression. His eyebrow dropped slightly in a sign of irritation. Ulquiorra turned his back to her and pushed the man aside. It seemed the man was too intoxicated to notice the danger he was in.

"Oi, don't push me!" he shouted and shoved him. Before Orihime could react a hand snagged onto her wrist and pulled her back. She found herself face to face with Soifon with a mustache. The shorter woman gestured for her to keep quiet and tugged her along, passing other stalls.

The sound of the fight got fainter. They turned down many corners before they came to a slightly less crowded part of the market. Soifon took her to a stall with a green and white striped tarp. A young boy with spiky maroon hair and a young girl with two black pigtails stood at the head of the stall.

"Get yah candy, junk and other crap here!" the boy shouted. The girl seemed too shy to say anything and just smiled faintly at the passing people.

Soifon approached the children, still holding onto Orihime's wrist, and glared at the boy. He glared back at her.

"Where's Kisuke?" she demanded more than asked. The boy crossed his arms and looked away from her.

"In the tent," he responded and jabbed his thumb to the hunter green tent next to the stall. Soifon dragged the woman toward the tent.

Orihime was close enough that she heard the boy grumble, "Old hag." The tent wasn't very large, but it could fit three people. Inside the tent was a low wooden table, three chairs and a poster of a large eye staring back at her. The person sitting across from them was garbed in a black cloak that had a hood covering the face.

"Welcome to my tent of mysteries my-" Soifon let go of her wrist and pulled the hood off of Kisuke, who pouted in mock hurt.

"Stop playing around," she hissed. She nearly shoved Orihime, in her anger, into a seat.

Kisuke laughed and gave a hearty smile. "All righty, down to business." His face became serious and he leaned forward. Soifon stood to his right, arms crossed, without the mustache.

"Tell me everything that has happened to you, Ms. Inoue," the blond man insisted.

Orihime went into a long story about her life with Aizen's group. She talked about meeting Nel and how Ulquiorra was assigned to be her guard. She explained that she hadn't really gone on a mission. She left out the part when she went with Ulquiorra to kill the family. She, also, didn't mention the notebook she had found; for what reason, she had no idea.

"I was with Nel, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra until Soifon got me, " she finished. Orihime inhaled deeply. She had talked for quite a long time. Glancing at both people, she couldn't read their expressions.

Finally, Kisuke spoke up, "Ulquiorra will most likely be looking for you. We should hurry up. First things first, wonderful job so far. Keep doing what you're doing, Ms. Inoue. As long as Aizen or anyone else doesn't find out your secret, we're safe."

"Try to find out when Aizen's next big sting is. We have to have proof that he's doing illegal things. The bastard is good at covering his tracks," Soifon muttered. Kisuke nodded and eyed Orihime.

"We should have told you this before, but we wanted to wait. There's another spy working for us. They don't know that we sent you in, but you'll meet the spy soon. Also, it seems that the ICPC has decided to get involved," Kisuke said.

Orihime looked confused. "ICPC?"

"The International Criminal Police Commission. They're a security group in America that deals with international problems. Apparently Aizen's business is interfering with U.S. law. Be on the lookout for anything suspicious. We don't want them to arrest you if they decide to act," he warned.

Orihime nodded. The meeting ended as Soifon took her out of the tent. Kisuke came out, with his hood drawn, and handed her a plastic bag of chocolate candies. Orihime stared at them questioningly, but the man just smiled and turned to his stall. The boy was still yelling about selling the stall's goods, but doing a horrible job at it.

"If you head straight and take a left at the last stall, you'll end up back at the front of the market," Soifon informed. With a slight push, Orihime took off.

The woman's head spun as she tried to take in everything she learned. There was someone working for the police too. She wasn't alone. Unfortunately, there were some unknown spies as well. They might end up attacking everyone without her knowing.

Orihime blinked as she found herself next to the parked car. She looked around and spotted Nel and Grimmjow. Nel looked frantic while Grimmjow was weighed down with all her purchases. She saw Ulquiorra the moment he saw her. His green eyes blazed with an unrecognizable emotion.

He stormed toward her and grabbed her upper arm. His grip was like steel. "Where were you?" he questioned harshly. Orihime's mouth open, but only air came out. Nel was rushing toward them with the blue haired man staggering behind.

"I thought someone had kidnapped you. Do not do that again, woman. Never, understand," he hissed. He shook her arm and stared hard into her eyes. Orihime nodded mutely. He released his grip and looked away. His eyes turning back into cold passiveness, but his face still tense.

"Oh, Himeko, we were so worried when we couldn't find you," Nel sobbed. She clutched onto the woman and hugged her tightly. Grimmjow looked at her sourly until he saw the candy in her hand.

"Shit, she ran off to get candy," he grunted in annoyance. Nel glanced at the bag and shook her head.

Giving Orihime a motherly look, she said, "If you want candy, tell us before running off. It's very dangerous to be out alone in an unfamiliar place."

"I-I'm sorry," Orihime apologized, feeling genuinely guilty. Nel smiled and gave her a tight hug before nodding in approval.

"Can we go now. My arms are gonna to fall off," Grimmjow complained.

Ulquiorra glanced at him. "What happened to your muscles?" Grimmjow threw him a dirty look. He would've given him the middle finger, but his hands were occupied at the moment.

Orihime relaxed when she saw his face had smoothed out of the tension. He was no longer angry at her. As Grimmjow and Nel packed everything into the back of the car, Orihime stood with the darker haired man.

Munching on her sweets, she held the bag out to him. "Candy?" she offered.

Ulquiorra looked at the bag, but made no move to take one. He wasn't overly fond of sweets. Looking back at the woman offering them, he slowly reached in the bag and took one out. He stared at it as if it were something odd. He carefully placed it in his mouth and waited for the sweetness to hit him.

Instead, the chocolate was bitter. The bitterness lingered and was replaced with a light coating of sweet, sugary, dark chocolate. The surprise must have shown on his face for Orihime giggled. Ulquiorra met her warm gaze with his indifferent one.

"It isn't too sweet. The bitter taste is actually pretty good. It reminds me of hot sauce in the coco. What do you think, Ulquiorra?" she inquired.

The corner of his lip twitched upward a centimeter. In a low voice, he answered, "It's perfect."

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**Huzzah, the chapter is done. We have some story development and maybe character change. Who's the other spy? Who's part of the ICPC? Those answers will be given later on. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, too.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	11. Chapter 11: Miss You?

**Illegal**

**Thank you to **_**Streaks of Moonlight, splitheart1120, Shreehime, AllieCat645 and Rin Sessys Girl **_**for the reviews. I'm always excited to hear your responses to the story. Thanks, also, to the people who have favorited and/or alerted the story. Special thanks to **_**Rin Sessys Girl**_ **for adding my story to her community :D**

**Enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

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_January 1924_

_I went back to the bar that Hiro worked at. It's near the border between Las Noches and Karakura Town. The owner denied knowing who started to shooting spree. That is until I pulled a gun on him. He spilled his guts like a five year old._

_Apparently a man came in and shot at a customer at the bar. They had a shoot out for a while. People hid behind overturned tables. Hiro was behind the bar, but saw someone, a woman, out in the open. He lept over the counter and managed to get to her without getting hit. He had her take cover under a table. That's when he got hit. A stray bullet hit him in the back of his head._

_The owner said that he didn't really know whose gun the bullet came from, but he suspected it was from the man who had come into the store. He could only tell me that the man was one of Sosuke Aizen's men and that he had blue hair._

_This job will be a lot harder than I thought. Aizen is a dangerous man, but I'm going to get in. I have to if I want the avenge Hiro's death. The blue haired man will die...no I'll bring down the source of my pain. I'll bring down Aizen even if it kills me._

_February 1924_

_It seems that he has been watching me from the beginning. Well, he only knows me by my work, but that's something. A man, he called himself Kaname Tosen, came up to me. He offered me a job. He said that if I accept the job and succeed, Aizen would allow me admittance into his elite group, the Espada._

_Of course I took the offer. He handed me a box that once closed can't be open without the master key. I'm crazy to think that I can steal the Hogyoku from a high security museum. I think my sanity went out the window the day Hiro died._

_I'll have to call my special contacts. There's no time limit on this mission, but I want to get it done soon. Once I do, I can get close enough to kill Aizen and the blue haired man. I know the risks of killing him. I may not like death, but I'm willing to face it once I get what I want._

_March 1924_

_I saw...I'm not sure what I saw. Perhaps it's a figment of my imagination. Though, I'm sure what I saw was real. I'll have to do some more investigating. _

_No new updates on my mission yet._

_April 1924_

_She comes in the store every day. I work the counter as one of the pastry servers at __**Sweet Sweets**__. My name is June and I'm blond. She's very friendly with laughter in her eyes. No pain, no grief, no hatred, no spite. Pure. Can such a pure and innocent person really exist in this world? No matter, that innocence will be destroyed when she gets older. I'm never there to serve her anyways. She is not important._

_June 1924_

_I may be crazy of coming up with an idea. I'm afraid of what might happen. So far the Hogyoku is still in the museum. Aizen would most likely see through my deceit. Tosen is blind, so I can lie with my voice. Aizen would see through me like glass._

_...maybe this will work._

* * *

Orihime sighed as she stared at her soggy sandwich. Since going to Kuro Market, Ulquiorra had been sent on a mission for Aizen. He hadn't been back for three days so far. Aizen had given her the option to have Nel as her guard if she wanted to shop or go out to eat. The orange haired woman found herself missing the man. Though he didn't talk much, he always listened to her ramblings with keen interest.

After reading Himeko's notebook, Orihime knew two facts. One, the blue haired man was definitely Grimmjow. Two, Himeko had a plan before she met Aizen. What disturbed Orihime the most was that she use to go to the pastry shop Himeko had mentioned. Perhaps, that was why her name was in the notebook.

Grimmjow had killed a man by accident. A man who was supposed to be related to Himeko. The man that Himeko loved. Yet, if she wanted revenge on Grimmjow and Aizen, why did she kill herself? It wasn't like Orihime was going to kill them for her. Grimmjow was sometimes rude, loud, obnoxious, and crass. Yet, he could be caring, to Nel at least, and had a sense of humor when it wasn't sexual. Orihime considered Grimmjow someone she could come to like under different circumstances.

"Hime, you've been staring at your food for the past ten minuets," Nel pointed out. Orihime jerked her head up in surprise. She hadn't heard the green haired woman come in.

"H-hello, Nel," she greeted. Orihime sighed again and picked up her lunch. She threw it out, not feeling hungry anymore. Nel watched as she moved slowly through the kitchen to sit back down.

"You've been depressed since Ulquiorra left for his mission. Do you miss him?" she inquired. Orihime's cheeks reddened and she ducked her head down.

"O-of course not. I-I just have nothing interesting to do today," she answered lamely. Nel smiled knowingly before patting the younger woman's head.

Trying to sound reassuring, she said, "Don't worry, he'll be back tonight."

Orihime nodded, seeming to brighten a little. Getting up, she said her farewells to Nel and headed to the library. Since Ulquiorra was away, Orihime was always alone in the library at night to early morning. She had become used to reading her stories out loud or just reading with him in the room. The library felt empty whenever she went. She couldn't wait for him to come back. She had just finished a great mystery romance novel and wanted to share it.

Orihime walked passed her chair and to the fiction section. Picking out a turquoise cover, she settled herself into her chair. Orihime smiled at the smell of parchment and ink. The books, unlike the ones at the public library, didn't smell like dust and mold. Opening the cover, she started to read.

She read until it was eight. Then nine o'clock passed. Then, ten. The blue book slipped onto the floor with a muffled thud. Orihime shifted in her chair and rested her cheek against the armrest. She mumbled incoherent words and sighed in her sleep. The sun had shone its last rays as the time went by. A half crescent moon hung over the city.

Nelliel knocked on Orihime's door. "Hime?" No answer.

Frowning, she went to check in the kitchen. No one was in there. She went to the library and peeked inside. A small smile bloomed on her face when she saw the sleeping figure. Orihime had tried to stay up until Ulquiorra came back; Nel knew how that felt. She had done that many times when Grimmjow left for a mission.

Nel used to fret every day until she saw the whites of his eyes. She would drive Tier crazy with her constant bugging and pacing. Nnoitra use to try to keep her mind off of her worry, but lost patients when she couldn't keep focus on a simple game of cards. When she heard he would be coming back that night, she would stay up in his room. Most of the time, she fell asleep; Grimmjow would return at the crack of dawn and find her sprawled on his bed.

Closing the door, she headed to her room. She paused when she saw a familiar dark haired figure. Smiling wider, she jogged over to Ulquiorra. The man looked the same; though his clothes were slightly rumpled and his hair a little messier. He held his jacket in one hand. Nel's eyes widened when she saw blood on his white shirt.

"Ulquiorra, what happened?" Nel asked. She started to inspect the wound on his right shoulder. The man waved her away with a sigh.

"Shinji Hirako is deadlier with a knife than reported. He got away, but I did retrieve the photos he had. Aizen-sama will be relieved to know that no evidence of his actions are in the wrong hands," he answered. His voice sounded tired and, perhaps, strained.

Nel frowned at his dismissal. "Well, I'm glad you're back. Hime has been worried about you since you left. She's been waiting."

Ulquiorra paused, then nodded to Nel before he made his way to the medical wing.

Szayel doubled as a doctor for the injured as well. After stitching Ulquiorra's wound, he wrapped bandages around it and gave him some pills.

"Take these with water and you should just be sore tomorrow," he ordered. Ulquiorra left and went to Aizen's study. Knocking once, he let himself in. The man was sitting in his chair holding a glass of red wine. The fireplace glinted off the glass at odd angles. It threw dark shadows around him.

"Ulquiorra, you're back. How was the mission?" he asked politely. Ulquiorra pulled out a manila envelope from his jacket. Handing it to him, Aizen pulled out the photos and inspected them.

"Hirako seems to have someone watching the docks. He got away, but I burned down the warehouse he was staying in," he informed.

Aizen placed the photos back in the envelope and tossed it in the fire. The flames greedily ate the paper. He swirled his wine around and took a sip. The photos contained incriminating evidence against him. If Hirako had given it to the police of Karakura Town, Aizen would be a dead man. Aizen had sent Ulquiorra to check on Shinji Hirako because he wanted to make sure that his ex-business partner was keeping his nose out of his business.

"That will be all Ulquiorra. Why not go clean up and get some rest?" It was more an order than a suggestion. Ulquiorra bowed once and left the study. His shoulder ached from the knife wound.

Usually, he was much more careful. Ulquiorra was specially trained in hand-to-hand combat. Yet, the fact that Hirako pulled out a sword threw him off. He had narrowly gotten his whole arm amputated. Of course, Hirako didn't leave without a scratch either. A bullet wound to the right lung would slow him down for a few weeks. Ulquiorra would've had him, if not for a short, blond woman. She had driven her car out of nowhere and drove off with his target.

Ulquiorra passed Himeko's room. He paused at the door and wondered if she was awake. If he did knock and if she did answer, what was he supposed to say? Deciding against knocking, he went to his room. He needed a shower from not being able to access cleaning facilities for the past three days.

His room was very plain. A king sized bed with gray sheets took up most of the space. A small desk with a chair adorned the far corner. He had a dresser for his shirts, socks, ties and underclothes. A closet held his suits and plain clothes. Another door led to his bathroom; which had a large, round tub, toilet, sink and necessary cleaning supplies.

Pulling off the damaged shirt, he tossed it in the trash bucket near the door. Ulquiorra carefully pulled off his clothes. Any movement caused the wound to throb. Taking a shower was tricky. He had to keep his right shoulder out of the water while trying to bathe. After the bath, he pulled on a pair of black pajama pants and a white wife beater. His hair clung to his neck as it was still wet. Ulquiorra tossed his towel on his spare chair.

Leaving his room, he decided to visit the library. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he missed hearing the woman's voice as she read. He had found himself thinking about her during the mission. He had wondered if she stayed in or if she found one of the other Espadas to take her out. The last thought made his stomach clench uncomfortably.

Opening the door he missed the dark lump in the chair. He passed by his usual table and nearly jumped when he heard someone sigh. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dark room. He blinked as he saw Orihime curled up in her chair. A book lay forgotten on the floor. Creeping closer, he saw that her brows were furrowed in worry.

"U-Ulquiorra..." she mumbled. Said man pulled back and stared at her. A miniscule smile formed on his face. She had waited for him to come back. Nel had said that she had been worried about him since he had left. The thought made his spirits soar a little.

Orihime pouted in her sleep and tried to snuggle into the chair more. Sighing again, a small smile formed on her face. "...Kurosaki-kun..."

Ulquiorra froze and his spirits fell flat. He felt his heart thud loudly. A painful ache formed and then dulled. His mouth turned into a frown and his eyes grew distant. Pulling away from the woman in the chair, he stalked out of the library. The doors banged loudly behind him.

Orihime's eyes snapped open. She looked around the dark room confusingly. Seeing no one there, she stretched and yawned. Picking up her book, she placed it back in its rightful place. Orihime rubbed her head and headed out of the library.

She had been having a nice dream. She was back in Karakura Town with her friends. Ichigo was talking to her. She was introducing Ulquiorra to him. The two seemed to get along perfectly. Nel and Grimmjow were with Rukia, Renji, and Tatsuki and they were all laughing. It was a nice dream and she had wished it was real.

Orihime made her way to Ulquiorra's room. She hesitated and then knocked. Silence greeted her. She frowned and knocked again. Nel had said that he was supposed to be back tonight. She had hoped to see him before she went to bed.

"Ulquiorra?" she called. No answer. Chewing her lip, she ceased her knocking and left. She trudged slowly back to her room.

Ulquiorra gripped the door handle. When he had heard the knock, he had almost answered it. He gripped the knob until his knuckles turned a chalky white. He let it go and placed his head against the cool wood.

_Why?_

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**So, how do you think I'm doing? Do you like how it's moving? Am I going too slow or too fast? Or just right? **

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


	12. Chapter 12: Mad Science

**Illegal**

**Thank you for all the great reviews. I really love reading all of them and hearing what you think. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter!**

**P.S. I've been thinking of changing the title of the story. I'm not really sure if I will, but it is a thought. Just wanted you all to know so there will not be any confusion if it does magically change.**

**PhoenixBlade: **Orihime, in a way, is supposed to stand out. I kind of wanted her to seem a little odd in a group of mercenary like people. I wanted her to be like a breath of fresh air in the doom and gloom of killing. Don't worry she won't be defenseless; Tatsuki did tell Orihime, in the manga, that she was black belt level ;D As for the mission, you're way ahead of me. I guess you and I are on the same wave length xD You'll see Orihime in action, though keep in mind she's supposed to be Himeko who is known for disguising and spying. The other Espada are kind of like backup dancers, they're just there. Sorry to disappoint, but a few will have a important roles later on, though I can't tell you who or what ;)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach**

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Orihime woke to a cloudy, gray day. Today felt like one of those days that she just knew nothing would go right. Sighing, she slipped out of bed and shivered as her feet touched the cold floor. The only thing on her mind right now was to see if Ulquiorra had really returned from his mission.

Getting dressed quickly, she made her way down the hall and to the kitchen. To her delighted surprise, Ulquiorra was sitting down reading a newspaper while sipping coffee. Orihime felt relieved that he looked fine. That was until she saw the bandages on his arm when he moved.

"Ulquiorra, what happened to your arm?! Did you get hurt?" Orihime reached out to touch him, but he jerked away. Calmly folding his newspaper he stood up and walked pass her to the sink. He dumped his coffee in the sink, washed it out and left without a word.

Orihime stared at the closed door. "W-what just happened…"

She slowly made her way around the kitchen and prepared some toast. She wasn't very hungry at the moment. She absentmindedly ate her bread while think about Ulquiorra. He was acting just like the first day she came. Perhaps he was angry at her for something? Did she do something to annoy him? What could it be?

Orihime sighed. "Something wrong, Hime?" Nel asked concern written on her face. She had watched her stare at her plate while nibbling a plain piece of toast. It wasn't like the orange haired woman to have a "normal" meal.

"Oh, uh, nothing. I-I'm just worrying about something silly." Orihime waved off. She tried to smile brightly, but it seemed forced. Nel frowned and shook her head.

"Okay, but if something is bothering, you can tell me. I have to go out for a bit today, so I can't come with you on an outing. Could you tell Grimmjow that I'll be back by tomorrow?" she requested.

"Of course," Orihime agreed. Nel gave her one last smile before leaving the kitchen. Orihime cleaned up and wondered if she should try asking Ulquiorra what was wrong. She marched determinedly toward the library, but paused once she got there.

"You can do it, Orihime. Just go in and ask," she mumbled to herself. Pushing open the doors, she looked around for the dark haired man. The library was empty. Orihime huffed and frowned in annoyance. Ulquiorra was usually in the library most days.

She turned on her heel and walked through the halls. She tried his room, but no one answered. She checked the kitchen twice, the library three times, his room four, and random rooms that she never been near at least once. Ulquiorra was nowhere to be found.

"Is he out? Did he leave without telling me?" she asked herself. Orihime was currently sitting on the floor outside her room. She wanted to know what was bothering him and maybe help him feel better. This was something she would've done for any of her friends.

"Oi, Barabasa!" a voice called her. Orihime looked up to see Grimmjow hovering over her. She gave a weak smile.

"Y-yes?"

Grimmjow rubbed his neck. "Have you seen Nel? I haven't seen her all day."

Orihime's eyes widened as she remembered what she was supposed to tell him. "Oh, she left for the day. She wanted me to tell you that she will be back by tomorrow."

Grimmjow didn't look happy with this news. "Tch, Aizen and his stupid missions." He groaned inwardly and stormed off. Orihime quickly got to her feet and ran after him.

"Ah Grimmjow, do you know where Ulquiorra is?" she inquired. The muscular man stopped mid-stride. He looked back at her with a strange look on his face, but shook his head and scowled.

"I don't know where the annoying robot went. Fuck, I can't believe that someone besides Nel actually cares about him. How can you stand his monotone voice and never changing face? I rather have a conversation with Szayel," he ranted.

Orihime put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "He's not that bad. Ulquiorra may not talk that much, but that's because he likes to listen. He only talks when it's necessary."

The scowl morphed into a toothy grin. "Heh, you're actually defending him. I guess even emotionless people like him need someone. Whatever, I saw him leave this morning. Probably went to have some quiet."

With that he walked off leaving Orihime to stare at his retreating figure. She slumped down defeated. Ulquiorra really had left without telling her. Orihime made her way back to her room. She decided she needed a nap after running around looking for him. Maybe when she woke up, Ulquiorra will have returned and then she could talk to him.

Unfortunately for her, Orihime couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning in bed. After an hour she sat up. This wasn't working for her. Getting out of bed, her stomach growled for food. Orihime made her way to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. She was heading back to her room with her lunch when she heard voices coming in her direction.

"This place is boring as fuck! I can't find any more whisky!" Nnoitra whined to his companion.

"No one to fight either. Ulquiorra's gone and so is Nel," Yammy grunted.

Nnoitra seemed to be mumbling something and snapped his fingers. "Let's find that orange haired chick. Maybe she can fight. Even if she can't, she has a nice body."

Orihime's breath hitched and she dashed in the opposite direction. Taking the closest door to her, she scrambled inside and closed it. She leaned against the door and listened to the muffled voices pass.

"Where'd you think she is?" Yammy asked.

"How'd I know?! Probably doing some womanly shit," the taller man mumbled.

"Hey, someone left a sandwich!" Yammy sounded happy. Orihime let out a sigh as they passed.

She realized that the room she had gone in was very warm and dark. There was strange, but familiar smell emitting around the room as well. Orihime stepped forward and touched the wall for a switch. Flicking on the light switch, large copper pots lined the walls in a row. They all had covers on them, but they were steaming. She bent down and looked at one of the pots. It had three legs and a few gauges with the needles in the middle. She noted that there was a long black lever and what looked like a funnel under the pot. A latch kept the lid closed.

"It's whisky!" she exclaimed.

She walked through the rows of pots looking at each of them in fascination. She paused when she noticed the winding staircase that led down. Looking around, she quickly tiptoed down the marble stairs. The air became musty and stuffy. The light from above disappeared as she made her way down. Once on the last step, she paused. It was very dark and she was afraid to take another step.

"Well hello," a masked person said. They appeared abruptly in front of her with a gas mask on. Orihime let out a scream and fell on the steps. The person waved their hands and pressed their finger in a quiet gesture. They pulled off the mask.

"Ah, I didn't mean to scare you, Ms. Barabasa," Szayel apologized with a smile. He pulled out his white frames from the pocket of his apron. Reaching above him, he pulled a chain that turned on the single, dangling light bulb. Orihime held her hand over her heart. She slowly stood up and gave a small, uncertain smile.

"I-I did not mean to intrude," she said. Szayel waved her off and placed his mask on a nearby table.

Szayel walked over to the large table in the middle and picked up some plastic bags. "It is fine. I was wondering when you would come to look. Everyone becomes curious and comes down at least once. The 'Do Not Enter' sign is just there for decoration. What can I do for you?"

"O-oh, I was just, um, hiding from Yammy and Nnoitra," she confessed sheepishly. The pink haired man chuckled as he started to scribble some notes down.

"Those two are always causing trouble. They have the brains the size of walnuts," he remarked in disgust. Orihime nodded nervously and looked around. There were an assortment of plants, a shelf containing books, instruments she didn't know what they were for and a white bunny in a cage.

The bunny was set on a table in the far corner under the window where it would get the most sun. It seemed content with just sitting in its nesting and watching what was going on. Szayel seemed to have forgotten she was there as he was mumbling to himself.

"Uh, what a cute bunny," she commented. The man looked up and glanced at the animal. A small smile formed on his face and disappeared. He shook his head and placed a few tools back on the shelf.

"Thank you. She's very well behaved."

Orihime walked over and allowed the animal to sniff her hand. "Does she have a name?"

The scientist was silent for a bit. Finally he answered. "Nemu." Orihime thought it was a strange name to give a bunny, but made no comment. Nel had mentioned that she had seen Szayel bring in animals into his lab and they never left.

"If you're wondering what happened to the other animals, I let them go after a few months," he answered her unasked question. He was pouring a few dried leaves in a stone bowl. She watched as he took a stone masher and started to grind the leaves.

"What are you making, Mr. Szayel?" she asked. The man kept grinding the leaves. After a few minutes, all there was a left was a fine blue powder. He pushed up his glasses and smiled in satisfaction. He poured the powder in a tube and placed the bowl to the side. He was tapping his fingers on the table when he looked up at her.

"I use to own an apothecary shop, you know. People would come in for medicine for their aches and pains. Others wanted a drug that would make them feel "good" or even poison. Of course I sold everything they could want. I even made my own poisons," he said suddenly.

"P-poison?" Orihime squeaked. Szayel let out a cold laugh.

"Yes, I know selling poison was illegal, but there were people who really wanted the stuff and willing to pay the money. I loved creating new poisons; it was a hobby. Be it powders, liquids, or pills, I made them. Of course I had an antidote for most of them. Making poison takes a great mind and an understanding in the sciences. Of course you have to be willing to test them out on people.

I remember the first poison I made without an antidote. I gave it to my brother. Of course not all at once. Just a bit by bit. I monitored his health and the symptoms he got. Eventually he died, which was quite sad for I wasn't done with my research." His calm facial expression changed to rage.

"Then, the police found out. They came to my shop and started to ransack it. I managed to escape and run home. I took all my notes, some of my creations and money before running off. I made it to Karakura Town and settled down in the least pleasant area. Starting off new was hard. All my hard work was gone. Destroyed," he growled.

His fist clenched and unclenched. "I met a woman. She had the most amazing mind I have ever seen in my years of living. Quiet, smart, attentive, and beautiful. She was like something made for me. Of course her father didn't like me very much. We, ah, had different views on science."

"He called my experiments inferior to his! How dare he judge my creations. He had no idea who he was messing with. I thought he would be a nice guinea pig for my latest experiment. I tested it on rats, but they died in a day. Too quickly for me to observe. So, he became my new test subject," Szayel remincised.

A far off look came to his face. "He got weaker by the day. Nemu started to visit me more often. Her father seemed to want to be alone. I wasn't going to complain. She didn't know about my hobby or that her father was a test subject. Then, one day the poison changed course. Nemu told me her father started to see hallucinations. He would yell at her and hit her more violently than he use to. I realized I needed to give him the antidote before he killed her in his rage."

A look of cold detachment formed on his face. Orihime swallowed the lump forming in her throat. He looked like he was reliving a nightmare that he didn't know if he liked or not. He unconsciously reached for the scalpel on the side of the table. She watched as he dug it into the wood.

"She died by her father's hand. The reports said that he went berserk and started to scream about monsters wanting to steal his research. She tried to calm him down and was hit in the head with a chair. He beat her to death and then decided the only thing that could keep his research safe was to burn everything. I came to see her and give her father to antidote. All there was left was ash and smoke."

Orihime covered her mouth to muffle the gasp of horror. Szayel was gripping the scalpel so hard his fingers started to bleed. He blinked and seemed to snap out of his daze. He looked at her as if studying her.

"Aizen found me a few days later. Here I am in my new lab with my Nemu. Isn't the world just wonderful?" He started to laugh. The laughter turned into cackles that got louder and more maddening. Orihime started to shake as he came toward her. He grabbed her shoulders painfully, getting blood on her dress, and shook her.

"Life is such a great thing! The one who can bring the dead back to life would be God, yes?! I have her ashes, you know. Maybe, just maybe I can bring her back. A lot of people think I'm crazy. Maybe I am. I don't know," he cried.

Orihime whimpered as he squeezed her shoulders harder. He released her when there was an audible click. Her eyes widened to see Ulquiorra pointing his gun at Szayel's head. His eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting. Szayel just laughed and held his hands up in a defenseless position.

"Ulquiorra, playing the knight in shining armor?" Szayel crooned.

"Step away from the woman," Ulquiorra ordered, his voice like steel. Szayel chuckled and took a step away from Orihime. Ulquiorra grabbed her arm and started to drag her across the room. Szayel was still laughing to himself.

"Come visit Nemu and I whenever you want," he called after them. Orihime stumbled her way up the stairs. She was blinded by the light from the hall once they were out of the lab room. Ulquiorra immediately released her arm and kept his back to her.

"I-thank you for-"

"Can you not stay out of trouble, woman? Why must I always have to save you? You make my job harder than it should be. Stay away from anyone who is not Nel, Grimmjow, Tier, or myself. Understand." he said roughly. Orihime nodded, but realized he couldn't see her with his back to her.

"Y-yes, Ulquiorra," she answered. He started to walk off, but Orihime took a hold of his arm.

"Wait! W-what did I do? Why are you angry with me, Ulquiorra? Whatever I did, please tell me so I can fix it," she pleaded. The man before her stiffened and then sighed. He rubbed his face with his other hand and pulled away from her.

"Nothing. You did nothing," he said and kept going. Orihime watched him leave and sighed.

"Hey, Barabasa. I've been looking for ya. Aizen wants to see me and you in his office," Grimmjow called from behind her. Orihime tensed at the mention of Aizen. She had been fortunate not to be called by him since she came here. She stiffly followed Grimmjow all the while worrying.

What could he want?

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**Okay, hope you liked the early update because you weren't supposed to get this until September. I decided to publish it sooner because once I start school, I won't have as much free time. I hope you liked the chapter even though there wasn't much UlquiHime. I kind of like Szayel so I thought he deserved on chapter. **

**Someone forgot to take their medication this morning.**

**Kitkat d(^.^)b**


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